Southland/Otago Dairy Industry Awards Winners Announced

The winners of the 2025 Southland/Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year category want to be ambitious leaders within the dairy industry who provide career pathways for the next generation.

Hayden Smith and Isla Pringle were announced winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year category at a dinner at Invercargill’s Ascot Hotel on Wednesday night. The other big winners were Leah Murray who was named the 2025 Southland/Otago Dairy Manager of the Year, and Emma Blom, the 2025 Southland/Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Hayden and Isla entered the Awards programme to see what they could learn and to continue to refine and grow their business.

“We believe New Zealanders are very proactive and want to be world leaders within the dairy industry, which is exciting as it means new technology, streamlining, developing and learning.”

The couple say that want to be part of the next generation and give back to the industry that has given them so much.

The couple are 50/50 sharemilkers on Lachie and Sarah McLeod’s on their 175ha, 450-cow Mabel Bush property. They won $7,600 in prizes and four merit awards.

Hayden placed third in the 2019 Southland/Otago Dairy Trainee category and says the awards allow networking opportunities to meet like-minded people.

Hayden and Isla (both aged 25) come from farming backgrounds and say they knew they would always choose farming as a career.

“I grew up doing it, I have always wanted to do it and always felt right doing it,” says Hayden. “It doesn’t feel like a job 99% of the time, it’s my passion and what I enjoy doing.”

Isla holds a Bachelor of Science majoring and Ecology and Geography from Otago University and on top of her role on-farm, works off-farm at Dairy Green Limited, assisting with a variety of work from environmental consent work, science and agricultural design.

A sense of responsibility motivates them during harder times as well as being able to provide stability and opportunities for their future.

“We want to be in a position when opportunities come knocking, we can grab them and run.”

The couple are proud of their successes including securing their current highly-contested sharemilking role at 22 years old, and being debt-free at the end of their third year sharemilking.

Hayden and Isla identify sound financial understanding as a strength of their business as it allows them to have a good cost structure with an ability to make a good return.

“We are a strength also – we have very aligned goals and recognise there are countless ways to get to the end goal of owning our own farm.”

“We are young, passionate, ambitious Kiwis who strive to do the best at everything we put our minds to,” they say. “We grew up learning the tricks of the trade and want to continue to learn, share our knowledge and provide opportunities for the next generation.”

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors ASB, CowManager, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, and Trelleborg, along with industry partners DairyNZ and MediaWorks.

Runner-up in the Southland/Otago Share Farmer category went to Janamjot Singh Ghuman and Mandeep Kaur who won $5,400 in prizes and two merit awards.

The couple are contract milkers on Mike and Kathy McDonald’s 144ha, 450-cow Otautau farm.

Janamjot was the 2019 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year and said winning the title in 2019 changed his self-image.

“I used to think I was just doing the best I can, the Awards helped me realise my potential,” he says. “The Awards have helped me create an identity I live by and have confidence in doing what I love doing.”

The couple cite people as their main strength, alongside their passion and commitment for the dairy industry.

Third place went to Scott Mackereth and Stacey Gaskell who won $4,000 in prizes and one merit awards. They are contract milking on Fortuna Group Ltd’s 464ha farm at Edendale, milking 1380 cows.

Leah Murray was named the winner of the 2025 Southland/Otago Dairy Manager of the Year category.

Leah won $6,550 in prizes plus two merit awards and is farm manager on Alistair and Hazel Murray’s 270ha, 740-cow Gore property.

The 23-year-old was encouraged to enter by her farm mentor and says the programme experience has helped her personal growth and development.

She enjoys the variety of jobs on-farm and that no two days are the same.

Leah identifies teaching school children to milk by themselves as a favourite success along with building her own cows/in-calf heifer herd.

Invercargill farm manager Regan Smith was second in the Dairy Manager category, winning $4,000 in prizes and three merit awards. He placed second in the same category last year.

“I really enjoyed all the social events such as the entrants day, sponsors night and of course the Awards dinner!”

“I also learnt more about the farm and asking questions I wouldn’t have thought to, along with learning presentation skills.”

The 28-year-old grew up in Dunedin and previously studied business and worked in tourism. “I never considered farming when I was at school as it was never offered as a subject,” explains the 27-year-old. “At career expos, dairy farming was not a career that was represented like it should be.”

“I didn’t come from a farming background; it wasn’t until I visited a friend’s family farm that I decided that farming would be my future career.

Regan began work as a dairy assistant with Kayne Smith and has progressed to 2IC on the 200ha, 600-cow Gore farm.

Future farming goals include sharemilking and farm ownership.

“I would like more education on agriculture in city schools because we have a staffing shortage in the dairy industry, and I know it could be filled by more people like me who haven’t been introduced to this career path.”

Riverton assistant manager Edita Macakova placed third and won $3,000 in prizes. Edita works on Charlie Reijen’s 48ha farm, milking 154l cows.

The 2025 Southland/Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year is Emma Blom who is farm manager on Blomventures Ltd 200ha Balfour property, milking 300 cows. She won $5,555 in prizes.

Before beginning work on-farm, Emma attended Lincoln University and holds a Bachelor in Environment and Society.

During semester breaks, Emma experienced time on a 2,500 goat milking farm in the Waikato, several dairy farms, Wilkins Farming and a summer internship with MPI. “I made it my mission to try out new things.”

Emma identifies the wet spring as a challenge and says the new responsibility of leading a team added to the challenge.

Future farming goals include farm ownership with her partner Jake.

Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category was 2IC Corey Hirst who won $3,000 in prizes and two merit awards. He works on John and Teresa van Hout’s 235ha, 640-cow farm at Winton.

The 23-year-old placed third in the same category last year and credits the Awards programme as a great way to test skills and benchmarks. “The sponsors are amazing and everyone wants to see you achieve.

“The support from fellow farmers in the industry is also an awesome motivator towards pushing yourself outside your comfort zone.”

After the pandemic ended Corey’s employment as a boat rigger in Hamilton, he turned to farming and says it was the best decision.

“I love every aspect of farming, I love the outdoors and working with animals,” he says. “I’m a very hands-on and mechanical person, so I’m able to fix most machinery and I love to learn.”

Future farming goals include 50/50 sharemilking or equity partnership.

“Next season I am progressing to a 640-cow contract milking position for the 2025/26 season,” says Corey. “It’s an awesome opportunity however it will be a big learning curve.”

Third place in the Dairy Trainee category went to farm assistant Bradley Ray who won $2,000 in prizes and one merit award. The 21-year-old is 2IC on Paul Robert’s 445ha, 1200-cow farm in Hedgehope.

The Southland/Otago Dairy Industry Awards winners field day will be held at 10.30am on 16th April 2025 at 917 Rakahouka Hedgehope Road, RD2, Invercargill S/N Fonterra 31810, where Share Farmers of the Year, Hayden Smith and Isla Pringle sharemilk. Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, Leah Murray and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Emma Blom. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

Share Farmer Merit Awards:

• DairyNZ – People and Culture Award Scott Mackereth & Stacey Gaskill
• Ecolab Total Farm Hygiene and Innovation Award Janamjot Singh Ghuman & Mandeep Kaur
• Federated Farmers Leadership Award Hayden Smith & Isla Pringle
• Honda Farm Safety, Health and Biosecurity Award Emma Hansen
• LIC – Animal Wellbeing, Recording and Productivity Award Janamjot Singh Ghuman & Mandeep Kaur
• Landpro Environmental Sustainability Award Hayden Smith & Isla Pringle
• Trelleborg Sustainable Pasture Award Hayden Smith & Isla Pringle
• ASB Business Performance Award Hayden Smith & Isla Pringle
• McIntyre Dick Emerging Talent Award Nicholas Rowe

Dairy Manager Merit

• CowManager Livestock Management Award Leah Murray
• Fonterra Dairy Management Award Regan Smith
• VetSouth Environmental Sustainability Award Regan Smith
• DeLaval Pasture & Feed Management Award Leah Murray
• Dairy Training Ltd People & Leadership Award Regan Smith
• FarmRight Personal Planning & Financial Management Award Brayden Johnston
• Southland Farm Services Emerging Talent Award Regan Taylor

Dairy Trainee Merit Awards:

• DairyNZ Practical Skills Award Corey Hirst
• Regional Ford Emerging Talent Award Hayley Rooney
• Dairy Holdings Farming Knowledge Award Corey Hirst
• AWS Legal Communication & Industry Involvement Award Bradley Ray

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