The finalists for the Waikato Dairy Industry Awards have been found. Regional manager Aaron Price said the Waikato region received the most entries in the awards, which covered 11 regions throughout the country.
“It was pretty cool to get the highest number of entries. It’s also meant a lot of work for our teams of voluntary judges that have been out on farm judging the share farmer and dairy manager entrants and also putting the trainees through their paces in practical skills tests and interviews.”
Price said the preliminary judges had identified the region’s finalists. The dairy trainee finalists went through their final judging on February 22 while the share farmer and dairy manager finalists will be judged again from March 1-3.
“As someone who’s entered the awards five times and was runner-up twice before eventually being successful I have a real sense for what some of the finalists will be going through. “It is exciting as there is also quite a bit at stake for the finalists, both in financial reward and career prospects,” Price said.
The finalists for the Auckland/Hauraki contest were also announced and the awards take place on March 14 for Auckland/Hauraki and March 16 for Waikato.
The 2016 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards finalists are:
Waikato Share Farmer of the Year: Shaun Good and Michelle Adam, Te Awamutu. Paul and Kate Manion, Cambridge. Bobby and Jade Millner, Morrinsville. Ben and Lizzy Moore, Tirau. Chad and Jan Winke, Walton.
Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year: Caitlin Bennett, Cambridge. Brent Bradshaw, Cambridge. Aaron Collins, Cambridge. Leyton Evans, Hamilton. Max Stairmand, PioPio.
Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year: Chris Ferguson, Otorohanga. Casey Meiklejohn, Orini. Hayley Miller, Hamilton. Joe Phillips, Te Aroha. CJ Ryder, Putaruru.
The 2016 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards finalists are:
Share Farmer of the Year: Jason and Corinne Anderson, Te Kohanga. Daryl and Christien Breen, Te Kouwhata. Brad Markham & Matthew Herbert, Pepepe. Mathew & Jemma Morrissey, Turua. Andrew and Nicola Satherley, Te Kouwhata.
Dairy Manager of the Year: Blair Fine, Paeroa. Jacob Jenkins, Paerata. Hayden Kerr, Rotongaro. Jarrod Miers, Miranda David Rawnsley Paeroa.
Dairy Trainee of the Year: Emilio Bargiacchi, Kaihere. James Doidge, Aka Aka. Oliver Milne, Paparimu. Karli Searle, Otaua. Ross Stevens, Ngatea.
By: Gerald Piddock
Source: NZFarmer.conz