Kids And Cows Keep Southland Dairy Winners Busy

Under Embargo Until
11pm, 28 March

Kids And Cows Keep Southland Dairy Winners Busy

The 2009 Southland Sharemilkers of the Year Simon and Claire Light are dedicated to dairy farming and their family – they have four children aged five and under and 750 cows!

It is no wonder then that a strength of their sharemilking business is their partnership. “We compliment each others’ strengths and weaknesses,” they say.

The Lights are 50% sharemilkers on a 235ha farm at Winton and are targeting milk production of 315,000kg milksolids this season, ending May 31. They won $14,000 in cash and prizes.

They say other strengths are their financial and pasture management, through monitoring, assessing and evaluation.

It was the third time they had entered the contest, doing so to analyse their business, plan and identify weaknesses.

“It’s also a good team building exercise and a great way to meet new people.”

The Lights future farming goals are to purchase a farm and reduce debt. Other goals are to enjoy their family and continue their education in health and agriculture.

Second place in the Southland Sharemilker of the Year competition went to 50% Otautau sharemilkers Chris and Samara Wech. They won $8000 in cash and prizes. Murray and Tammy Illing, who also 50% sharemilk at Otautau, placed third winning $3800.

The 2009 Southland Farm Manager of the Year winner, Steve Henderson, and 2009 Southland Dairy Trainee of the Year, Adam Waite, were also announced at the awards dinner held at Stadium Southland in Invercargill 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 Southland Farm Manager of the Year Steve Henderson, 22, says he had nothing to lose by entering the competition. It is just his first season managing the 120ha Gore farm owned by Beth and Geoff Henderson, after completing a degree at Lincoln University and then spending a year as a farm worker.

By winning the competition, he has pocketed $6300 in cash and prizes.

Mr Henderson says he plans to continue progressing in the dairy industry through contract milking to sharemilking and eventual farm ownership.

Wreys Bush farm manager John White, 25, placed second in the Southland Farm Manager of the Year, winning $3750, and third place went to Bart Luijten and Martina Lips, who won $2600 in cash and prizes.

Southland Dairy Trainee of the Year Adam Waite, 23, has returned to dairy farming after a four-year stint as a livestock representative.

Now a herd manager on a 120ha Edendale farm, Mr Waite says he had wanted to explore other parts of the agricultural sector.

“I wanted to develop networks with other farmers and also develop my keen eye for livestock. I spent a lot of weekends relief milking for farms around the district which cemented my decision that I wanted to get back to dairy farming.”

He says his current position enables him to experience a variety of tasks on the farm and he hopes to take on further responsibilities during the next year.

He also plans to complete his National Certificate in Agriculture through Agriculture ITO and make progress in his dairying career. He won $3100.

Southland Sharemilkers of the Year Simon and Claire Light will host a field day on 22 April, while Southland Farm Manager of the Year Seve Henderson will host a field day on the Gore farm he manages on 15 April. Further details on the winners and field days can be found on www.dairyindustryawards.conz.

Sharemilker Merit Awards:
• Karen Vreugdenhill Career Blended Lifestyle Award - Edwin & Fungai Mabonga
• Terry Bentley Memorial Best Livestock Award - Chris & Samara Wech
• Encouragement Award - Dave & Liz de Groot
• Honda ATV Safety Award – Edwin & Fungai Mabonga
• DairyNZ First Time Entrant Award – Graeme & Amy Johnston
• Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Lars & Inge de Kruijf
• Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) Leadership Award – Edwin & Fungai Mabonga
• LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Simon & Claire Light
• Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Chris & Samara Wech
• Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Simon & Claire Light
• Westpac Business Performance Award – Simon & Claire Light

Farm Manager Merit Awards:
• Encouragement Award – Russell & Toni Hardman
• DairyNZ Human Resource Management Award – John White
• RD1 Farm Management Award – Steve Henderson
• Westpac Financial and Planning Award – Bart Luijten & Martina Lips

The NZ Dairy Industry Awards is ensuring that it meets requirements under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act. If you do not wish to receive media releases from the Dairy Industry Awards via email then please reply to the sender, mentioning ‘unsubscribe’ in the title.

Ends

© Scoop Media