Pahitua Sharemilkers Take Top Dairy title

Hawkes Bay – Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards

STRICTLY EMBARGOED TO 11pm FRIDAY 16 MARCH 2007

Pahitua Sharemilkers Take Top Dairy title

Pahiatua sharemilkers Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott have been named 2007 Sharemilkers of the Year at the inaugural Dairy Industry Awards announced in Masterton tonight.

Michael and Lisa Wood from Pirinoa were named Lower North Island Farm Manager of the Year.

Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott are milking 300 cows on 93 eff hectares owned by Ian Arbuthnott and Cynthia Cass. Their production for the current season as at 1 February was 86,000kgms. Their future farming goals are farm ownership or an equity partnership and to move to management level.

Parents of two boys, Christopher (8) and Adam (6), they describe themselves as “family oriented” - “We always put our family first”.

Michael and Lisa Wood are milking 500 cows on 146 eff hectares owned by Donald and Patricia Wood.

The Woods hope to secure animal ownership and the ownership of Rangatea Farm.

Andrew and Monika along with Michael and Lisa will now go forward to represent Central Plateau in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Sharemilker of the Year and Farm Manager of the Year national final to be held in Invercargill on May 12, competing for a combined national prize pool of more than $100,000.

A field day will be held at Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott’s farm at 300 Hinemoa Valley Road, Kaitawa, Pahiatua on March 28 at 10.00am.. a field day will be held at Michael and Lisa Wood’s farm, Rangatea, RD2 Featherston on April 4 at 10.30am.

Runner up for the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Sharemilker of the Year was Brent and Lisa Lyons. Third place went to Philip and Sarah Boschma. Runner up for the Farm Manager of the Year was Jamie and Joanne Asken.

Other results included

Farm Manager of the Year Merit Awards
Dairy InSight Human Resource Management Award Michael and Lisa Wood
RD1 Farm Management Award Michael and Lisa Wood
Westpac Farm Financial Management Award Jamie and Joanne Asken
Sharemilker of the Year Merit Awards
ACC Workplace Safety Discounts Award Brent and Lisa Lyons
Blue Wing Honda ATV Safety Award Chris Giles and Desiree Moseley
Dairy InSight First Time entrant Award Philip and Sarah Boschma
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott
Federated Farmers Leadership Award Brent and Lisa Lyons
LIC Recording and Productivity Award Brent and Lisa Lyons
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award Jim and Christine Mancer
Westpac Business Performance Award Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott

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