22 APRIL 2017
Finalists Prepare for Last Round of Judging
This weekend marks the culmination of months of planning and preparation for the 22 finalists in the Share Farmer and
Dairy Manager of the Year competitions, as finals judging gets underway for the 2017 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
Two teams of three judges will travel the length and breadth of New Zealand over 8 days, spending time on each
finalists’ farm and listening to presentations from them.
Beginning in Hawkes Bay-Wairarapa on 22 April, the judges will spend two hours with each Share Farmer of the Year
finalist. The finalists will be able to showcase all aspects of their farming business and management styles, as well as
off-farm interests.
General Manager Chris Keeping says the national judging covers a huge spectrum of all facets of farming, using the same
judging criteria as the regional rounds. “The judges will be able to hear everything about the farming business, and see
significant areas of interest, if the finalist chooses to present that,” she says. “It’s really up to the finalists how
they choose to utilise their two hours with the judges.”
“On the day prior to the National Awards Dinner, the finalists have an interview with the judging panel which completes
their judging process.”
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated
Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy and Ravensdown, along with industry partner
Primary ITO.
The Dairy Manager of the Year finalists have one and a half hours presentation time with the judges, with judging
criteria covering five main topics of everyday farming life: Farm overview, Power Play topic, Personal, Feed and Stock.
The finalists will also meet with the judging panel on the day prior to the National Awards dinner.
The winners will be announced at a black tie awards dinner in Auckland on Saturday May 6. More information can be found
at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
ends