Dairying’s Cream Rises To The Top

Media Release
12 May 2007

STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 11PM SATURDAY MAY 12, 2007

Dairying’s Cream Rises To The Top

The very best performers in New Zealand’s dairy industry were identified in Invercargill on Saturday night at the first New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

Canterbury sharemilkers Matt and Julie Ross from Duntroon won the prestigious New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year title and the equally highly regarded New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year went to Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser from Southland.

Matt and Julie are milking 800 cows on a 233 effective hectare property owned by Kelvin and Debbie Weir. Their anticipated production to May 31 2007 is 395,000kg/ms.

They say their main goal is to achieve quality in all areas of their business.

“Doing business with integrity and honesty is most important to us – people are what life is all about. Without all the support from employees, business partners, family and friends we wouldn’t have got this far!”

Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser are milking 436 cows on 136 effective hectares owned by Leicester and Andrea Woolsey. Their anticipated production is 184,000kg/ms.

Daniel and Emily say winning the Southland Farm Manager of the Year was incredible and they were proud to have been ambassadors for the region and other young people in the dairy industry. They are looking forward to their national role.

“There are many different options and pathways that the industry can provide us and we look forward to the challenges ahead,” they say.

More than $100,000 worth of prizes were awarded to successful finalists at the event provided by the New Zealand Dairy Awards sponsors: Westpac, Dairy InSight, Fonterra, RD1, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, Federated Farmers, Ecolab, Blue Wing Honda and ACC, along with industry partner Dexcel.

The achievements of New Zealand’s leading dairy trainees were also acknowledged at the awards. The successful regional Dairy Trainee winners are currently on a study tour in Australia as part of their prize. They are:

Jimmy Gerritsen from Cambridge
Carlos Delos Santos from Mangakino
Zarsha Osborne from Matamata
Tammy Rubie from Hawera
Richard Sinclair from Woodville
Frances Beeston from Geraldine
Jonathon Bavin from Outram

Chairwoman of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, Alison Watters says the awards recognise achievement at multiple levels of the industry, and encourage progression from farm employee to herd owner/farm owner.

“They also create an environment where we can learn from each other in a constructive and rewarding way. We don’t jealously guard excellence; we share it.

“Benefits of the competition reach far beyond the prizes. While congratulating the winners, it has to be said that all entrants develop life-long skills and habits from personal and own-business analysis that can only enhance the dairy industry's success. “

Mrs Watters says the awards Trust looks forward to seeing Matt and Julie Ross and Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser working as ambassadors for the dairy industry and encouraging others to follow their great example.

Runner up in the Farm Manager of the Year was Shaun and Joanne Back from Canterbury. Runner up in the Sharemilker of the Year was Peter and Jenny Sinclair from Bay of Plenty. Third place went to Arjan and Tracy van der Straaten from Manawatu/Rangitkei/Horowhenua.

Merit awards also went to:

Farm Manager of the Year:

Dairy InSight Human Resource Management Award – Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser
Fonterra Communications Award – Sam and Davina Webb from Central Plateau
RD1 Farm Management Award – Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser
Westpac Farm Financial Management Award – Ross and Kristy Conder from Auckland/Hauraki

Sharemilker of the Year:

ACC Workplace Safety Discounts Award – Peter and Jenny Sinclair
Dairy InSight Interview Award – Brian and Paulette Johns from Top of the North
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Matt and Julie Ross
Federated Farmers Leadership Award – Matt and Julie Ross
LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Arjan and Tracy van der Straaten
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Craig and Hannah Fulton from Waikato
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Christopher and Catherine Cook and James Murphy from Taranaki
Westpac Business Performance Award – Donald Kidd and Loshni Manikam from Southland

ends

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