Nearly 500 Enter Dairy Awards

Just under 500 entries have been received in the 2011 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, incorporating the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions.

“I am confident the near record 497 entries received will deliver a strong contest among entrants and find some fabulous winners,” national convenor Chris Keeping says.

The number is just below last year’s record when 508 entries were received, and is still well ahead of the 399 entries received in 2009.

“We knew it was going to be tough to beat last year’s numbers as climatic conditions have made dairy farming difficult in many regions in the past few months.”

The 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 Agriculture ITO.

Organisers received 210 entries in the dairy trainee contest, 147 in the farm manager contest and 140 entries in the more prestigious sharemilker/equity farmer competition.

“We received the most entries in Waikato, with 73 entrants competing across the three competitions, and Canterbury was next best with 63 entries.”

Mrs Keeping says entrants will now be preparing for judging. Preliminary judging begins in Waikato and Hawkes Bay Wairarapa on January 31, with the last round of judging taking place in Taranaki, Canterbury North Otago and Otago on March 18.

The first winners will be announced in the Manawatu Rangitikei Horowhenua region on March 4, with the last winners announced in Southland on April 2.

All regional winners will progress to the national finals in Queenstown on May 14. Further information can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.