Trainee Winner Works Dairy Awards Networks

The 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards will give entrants an opportunity to mix and mingle with likeminded people – those with a passion to progress.

Entries in the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions run by the awards are now being received online at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

This year’s New Zealand trainee winner Ben Smith rates meeting the best regional and national trainees, farm managers and sharemilkers, and those people that support the awards and dairy industry, as the highlight of his involvement.

“It’s awesome to be able to mix and mingle with these people and it’s a pretty motivated room when you have got all these people together.

“Another highlight was the whole experience of going to the national final. Being in that situation was overwhelming and it was an honour to win my competition up against 11 of the best up-and-coming people in our industry. We have all become pretty good mates.”

This season (which began on June 1), Mr Smith stepped up to a farm manager’s position on the 180ha farm milking 550 cows at Takapau, in Central Hawkes Bay, where he had been assisting.

Married to Chloe and with two young children, the couple has a goal to be managing a property where they have equity invested by June 2013.

“This is my third season in the industry and the people I have met and now know throughout the industry, as well as the knowledge I have gained, is mindboggling. The dairy industry awards is massive for that.”

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 AgITO.

About 200 people have already entered the awards and are eligible for the early bird entry prize draw of three Honda Duster XR125 farm bikes each valued at $4000 each. There is one bike drawn from early entrants, who complete their entry by December 1, in each of the three contests.

All entries close on December 20. Entrants first enter one of 12 regional competitions, with regional winners progressing to a national final. More information on the awards is available at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.