Canterbury North Otago Dairy Winners Build Great Teams

Much like the region’s Crusaders, the big winners in last night’s 2012 Canterbury North Otago Dairy Industry Awards have built strong teams to achieve goals and build success.

The Canterbury North Otago Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Enda and Sarah Hawe, Farm Manager of the Year, Mick O’Connor, and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Nathan Christian, were announced at an awards dinner held at Hotel Ashburton.

Enda and Sarah Hawe say their main asset is the team surrounding them. “Our personal and business relationship with our staff and farm owners makes focusing on excellent performance a reality. We make sure to catch up with each other outside of farming circles also.”

Mick O’Connor says his strong team takes a sense of pride in the farm. “As a team, we have put massive amounts of work into getting the farm to a presentable level and this is something we believe is a strength and take great heart knowing that every staff member feels a sense of pride in the farm.”

The Ashburton farms owned by Richard and Jan Johnson and Ben and Shannon Johnson are also celebrating, as the Hawes and Nathan Christian are sharemilking and assisting on their farms.

The Hawes won $19,000 in cash and prizes and currently lower order sharemilk 1400 cows on 370ha for the Johnsons. They have secured a 50% sharemilking position for the new season beginning on June 1.

“We believe this new position will help us achieve our goal of owning a farm in Canterbury milking 500 cows within the next 10 years.”

It was the third time the couple had entered the awards, saying they are a great way to obtain free business advice. “It’s also great to have the opportunity to benchmark with the best dairy farmers in Canterbury and North Otago.”

The runners-up in the sharemilker/equity farmer contest were Hayden and Robyn Williams. The 50% Oamaru sharemilkers won $8000 in cash and prizes. Third place went to Waiau equity farm managers James and Belinda McCone, who won $5700 in prizes.

The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner AgITO.

It was the first time Canterbury North Otago Farm Manager of the Year, Mick O’Connor, had entered the awards. “I entered to gain more knowledge and improve our business whilst pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone.”

Mr O’Connor is contract milking 840 cows on 255ha at Rakaia for Dairy Holdings. He won $9950 in cash and prizes.

The 31-year-old has been in the industry for 10 years and his passion for the industry is reflected in his personal and financial business goals. His short term goal is to achieve budget and be the top financially productive farm per hectare within Dairy Holdings. Longer term goals are to grow his asset base and go 50% sharemilking.

Rakaia farm manager Athol New was second in the region’s farm manager contest winning $5125. Third place went to Ashburton farm managers Jason and Paula Strawbridge and they won $3125.

After three years at Lincoln University to gain his Bachelor of Commerce in Agriculture, 2012 Canterbury North Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year, Nathan Christian, now wants to progress his dairy career.

The fit 22-year-old – he competed in this year’s Coast to Coast multisport event – won $6100 in cash and prizes and is an assistant on an 800-cow 224ha farm owned by the Johnsons.

“I see entering the dairy awards as a great opportunity to mix with the future leaders of the industry and a good opportunity to network.”

Mr Christian says he is keen to take on a large scale farm management role in the short term and progress into sharemilking.

“Longer term my farming goal is to have a significant share in a farm by the time I’m 30 years old.”

Second place in the dairy trainee contest went to Lincoln farm assistant Joshua Grant, who won $750 in prizes. Geraldine assistant Nicholas Rogers was third, winning $320.

All three winners will now compete for the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year titles and a prize pool of nearly $140,000 in Auckland on May 12.

Canterbury North Otago Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Enda and Sarah Hawe, will host a field day on April 19, while Canterbury North Otago Farm Manager of the Year, Mick O’Connor, will host a field day on the Rakaia farm he manages on April 12. Further details on the winners and field days can be found on www.dairyindustryawards.conz.

Sharemilker/Equity Farmer Merit Awards:
• NZDIA Canterbury North Otago First Time Entrant Award – Koji & Joei Wada
• Plucks Engineering Ltd Effluent Management Award – Enda & Sarah Hawe
• Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd Animal Health Award – Earl & Melissa McSweeney
• DairyNZ Human Resources Award – James & Belinda McCone
• Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Boyd & Annette Slemint
• Federated Farmers of New Zealand Leadership Award – Earl & Melissa McSweeney
• Honda Farm Safety and Health Award – James & Belinda McCone
• LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Enda & Sarah Hawe
• Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Enda & Sarah Hawe
• Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Enda & Sarah Hawe
• Westpac Business Performance Award – Hayden & Robyn Williams

Farm Manager Merit Awards:
• TH Enterprises Ltd Outstanding Progression Award – Robert Holt & Stephanie MacFarlane
• NZDIA Canterbury North Otago Pride & Presentation Award – Mick O’Connor
• DairyNZ Human Resource Management Award – Mick O’Connor
• RD1 Farm Management Award – Athol New
• Westpac Financial Planning and Management Award – Jason & Paula Strawbridge

Dairy Trainee Merit Award:
• AgITO Farming Knowledge Merit Award – Nathan Christian

ENDS

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