Dairy Winners Use Contest To Achieve Goals

Dairy Winners Use Contest To Achieve Goals

The 2009 Canterbury North Otago Sharemilkers of the Year Graeme Wall and Shelley Singer have used the competition as a mechanism to achieve their goals faster.

“We have entered the competition three times as we have been getting valuable feedback that has helped grow our business skills. It’s meant we have been able to achieve future goals sooner than anticipated and given us more confidence in our own ability.”

Mr Wall and Mrs Singer, 50% sharemilking 1400 cows for Westerschool Farm near Ashburton, won $18,100 in cash and prizes. They are targeting milk production of 650,000kg milksolids this season, ending May 31.

The couple says their attention to detail is a strength of the farm business and that has also helped to achieve their farming goals.

“Having the trust of our equity partners and professionals has also enabled us to achieve maximum growth for us and our farm owners.”

Their future goal is to grow the equity percentage in their farming operation.

Second place in the Canterbury North Otago Sharemilker of the Year went to Warren and Julia Bent. They are sharemilking 1200 cows at Ashburton for Keith and Rose Townshend and won $7500 in cash and prizes.

Ashburton lower order sharemilker Jeremy Duckmanton placed third, winning $5200 in cash and prizes.

The 2009 Canterbury North Otago Farm Manager of the Year winner, Matt Ward, and 2009 Canterbury North Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year, Emma O’Connell, were also announced at the awards dinner held at the Grand Chancellor Hotel in Christchurch last night.

All three winners will now compete for the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year titles and a prize pool of more than $100,000 in Wellington on May 16.

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

The 2009 Canterbury North Otago Farm Manager of the Year Matt Ward believes good infrastructure is essential to the efficient running of a farm.

The 1350-cow Rakaia farm he manages is completed to a high standard, including the farm dairy, farm races and farm houses.

“I have interesting and challenging farm owners in Mike Hammond and Mark Peacocke – they are both very experienced farmers and businessmen and are a great source of knowledge and support.”

Mr Ward, who won $8600 in cash and prizes, says he entered the contest to lift the farm’s innovation and performance. “Entering helped increase the drive for us to raise the standard of our current management practices up to the level of the other contestants.”

He says his long term goal is to own a 600-cow to 800-cow farm.

Ashburton farm manager Lindsay Gane placed second, winning $5700 in cash and prizes, and Te Pirita farm manager Toby Lineham came third, winning $1700.

Canterbury North Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year Emma O’Connell, 25, is a senior farm assistant on a 1000-cow Rakaia farm. She won $3000.

“I am in a position where I have specific responsibilities and a degree of autonomy while still learning on the job through trial and discussion.”

Ms O’Connell says the National Certificate in Agriculture has provided a solid foundation for practical and technical farming.
“The more I learn and experience on the farm the more I understand what we have been taught, which increases my motivation, passion and enjoyment in the dairy industry.”
Canterbury North Otago Sharemilker of the Year, Graeme Wall and Shelley Singer, will host a field day on Wednesday April 15, while Canterbury North Otago Farm Manager of the Year, Matt Ward, will host a field day on the Rakaia farm he manages on Wednesday April 8. Further details on the winners and field days can be found on www.dairyindustryawards.conz.

Sharemilker Merit Awards:
• Riverside Veterinary Services Animal Health Award – Ben & Wendy Croft
• Honda ATV Safety Award – Nigel & Gina Gardner
• DairyNZ First Time Entrant Award – Pete & Linda Rollinson
• Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Blair & Tina Shaw
• Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) Leadership Award – Jeremy Duckmanton
• LIC Recording and Productivity Award - Graeme Wall & Shelley Singer
• Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Graeme Wall & Shelley Singer
• Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Jeremy Duckmanton
• Westpac Business Performance Award – Graeme Wall & Shelley Singer

Farm Manager Merit Awards:
• NZDIA Pasture Performance Award – Lindsay Gane
• DairyNZ Human Resource Management Award – Lindsay Gane
• RD1 Farm Management Award – Lindsay Gane
• Westpac Financial and Planning Award – Matt Ward

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