Second Time Lucky for 2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards Winners
A Hokitika couple have been announced as major winners in the 2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards.
Carl Wilmshurst and Anna Boulton were announced winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year competition at the West
Coast-Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards annual awards dinner held in Nelson last night. The other big winners were
Anthony Lamborn, who was named the 2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Manager of the Year, and Sam Goffriller, the
2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Carl Wilmshurst and Anna Boulton, both aged 27 years, are contract milking 390 cows on Bryan and Brigitte Wilmshurst
160ha farm in Kowhitirangi, Hokitika. They won $5,750 in prizes. They were runners-up in the 2017 West Coast Top of the
South Share Farmer competition.
“Entering the Awards makes you do a thorough analysis of your own operation and learn new way of doing things, or ways
to improve performance,” say the couple.
Carl holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and is also a chartered accountant, with Anna holding a degree in Sport
and Recreation Management.
The couple sees their effective time management as a strength of their business, ensuring the necessary jobs get done in
order to increase the productivity of the farm and livestock.
“My accounting background enables me to do a cost versus benefit analysis on opportunities,” says Carl. “By selecting
the most profitable option we are increasing the performance of our business.”
“I was brought up on the family farm, and really enjoy pasture management, especially the challenge of both growing and
utilising as much pasture as possible,” he says.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated
Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, New Zealand Farm Source and Ravensdown, along with industry
partner Primary ITO.
Runners-up in the West Coast-Top of the South competition were Ethan and Jessica Liddell both aged 27 years, who won
$2,300 in prizes.
The Blackball couple are 21% sharemilkers for Sue and John Liddell on their 540-cow, 210ha property.
The first-time entrants were encouraged to enter the Awards by their local rep. “We wanted to increase our knowledge of
our business and the financial aspect of it,” say the couple.
“We’ve learnt so much about our business, how we are tracking and how we compare to others just by working on our
presentation!”
“We like to push ourselves to succeed. We feel we have done pretty well, and there is always room for improvement.”
The couple and their three children enjoy the lifestyle of dairy farming, and Ethan and Jessica believe it is a great
way to raise children. “We both love cows and everything we do on-farm benefits us as a family,” say the couple.
“It’s a lifestyle, not a job, and a career we can make our own. There are tough times but we make it work.”
Third place went to Michael and Cheryl Shearer, who have previously won West Coast Dairy Trainee in 2012 and West Coast
Farm Manager in 2014. They won $1,750 in prizes.
They are 50:50 sharemilkers on David and Pauline Marshall’s 160ha farm at Brightwater, where they milk 410 cows.
The couple are proud of their personal and business financial discipline. “Controlling spending means we are in a good
position, and the fact we have progressed quickly means we have the time to achieve our goals,” say the couple.
The winner of the 2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Manager of the Year competition was born-and-bred a dairy
farmer, and has been working within the dairy industry for 25 years.
Anthony Lamborn won $4,550 in prizes and is the farm manager for the Birchlea Trust 255ha, 700-cow farm at Kikiwa,
Nelson. He placed third in last year’s West Coast Top of the South Dairy Manager competition.
“As a teen I tried my hand at city work, but my life always pulled me back to what I loved – cows,” he says. “I met my
wife on a dairy farm, and it seems a bit silly to move away from what is good.”
During that time he has progressed his career within the industry, through 25 years of “old school grafting – I’ve
worked hard, and kept my eyes and ears open.”
In 2012, Anthony’s career took an unexpected direction, and perfection began to take over his mind and thoughts. He
counts learning to live with mental illness and being able to speak his truth as his biggest success to date.
“I struggled with nothing ever being enough and there never being enough hours in a day,” he explains.
“I can now openly and honestly say I’m a survivor of mental illness. With the help of my wife, my children, my faith and
my church, I make every day count.”
“It’s not about what I can achieve or develop but it is about the joy I get from my team, my cows and my family. I am
just me, but together with the awesome people surrounding me I am so much more.”
Anthony says dairy farming isn’t just a job, it’s a lifestyle he gets to share with his wife Rachel and their children.
“It’s about the joy my cows bring me and the industry that just keeps growing.”
Westport farm manager George King, aged 33 years, was second in the Dairy Manager competition, winning $2,000 in prizes.
The first-time entrant works for Alex and Julie King on their 91ha property, milking 264 cows. George sees the
passionate and hard-working farm owners as a strength of the business.
“There’s really good interaction within the business and the quality of the stock is high,” he says. “That’s the engine
room of the business basically, and there are over 40 years of proven sire matings with 97% ancestry in New Zealand
Holstein Friesians.”
George believes the benefits of entering the Awards include motivation to achieve a goal, perseverance to overcome
challenges and understanding that hard work and commitment leads to a greater chance of success.
George says the death of his younger brother in a farm-related accident in 2006 was a major challenge he has overcome.
“I’ve accepted life is short for everyone, and have formed T2K Buckmasters Addisons Flat NZ in his memory.”
56-year-old Westport farm manager Nico Boshoff placed third and won $1,400 in prizes. Nico works on Johno and Kate
O’Connor’s 174ha farm, milking 300 cows.
“I believe we have a very good working relationship with the farm owners,” says Nico. “We have regular feedback meetings
and discussion on targets, development, needs and ideas.”
“I’m a results-driven person by nature, and love that what I feed the cows today I can see in the vat two days later.”
The 2018 West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Trainee of the Year, Sam Goffriller, was unsure of what he wanted to do with
his life until he began in the dairy industry three years ago. “After the first season on the Rosser Holdings property I
knew for sure dairy farming was for me.”
The 22-year-old placed third in last year’s West Coast-Top of the South competition and is a farm assistant for Roger,
Shirley and Robert Rosser on their 550-cow, 165ha property at Takaka. Sam won $5,180 in prizes.
“I enjoy working as part of a team, love working with animals and enjoy the work/life balance farming can offer,” Sam
says. “I’ve become a dairy farmer as I enjoy what comes with the job as a whole package and lifestyle.”
Future farming goals include securing a manager’s role within the next two seasons, with share-milking a long term goal.
Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee competition was 20-year-old Matariki farm assistant Tim Green, who won $1,500 in prizes.
Tim works for Phil and Jocelyn Riley on their 370ha, 1060-cow farm.
Tim entered the Awards to compete against others in the industry, network with fellow peers and future employers and
seize every opportunity.
“I like working in the outdoors and couldn’t see myself with an inside job,” he says. “I thrive in an outdoor
environment.”
Third place in the Dairy Trainee competition went to 21-year-old 2IC Luke Chisnall who won $1,250 in prizes. He works
for Damian and Tiffany Kohrs on Matt O’Regan’s 196ha, 510-cow farm in Reefton.
The West Coast-Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards winners field day will be held on April 19 at 730 Johnston Road,
Kowhitirangi, Hokitika where Share Farmers of the Year, Carl Wilmshurst and Anna Boulton contract milk. Also presenting
at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, Anthony Lamborn, and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Sam
Goffriller. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
Share Farmer Merit Awards:
• DairyNZ Human Resources Award – Ethan & Jessica Liddell
• Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Michael & Cheryl Shearer
• Federated Farmers Leadership Award – Michael & Cheryl Shearer
• Honda Farm Safety and Health Award – Ethan & Jessica Liddell
• LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Ethan & Jessica Liddell
• Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Carl Wilmshurst & Anna Boulton
• Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Carl Wilmshurst & Anna Boulton
• Westpac Business Performance Award – Carl Wilmshurst & Anna Boulton
Dairy Manager Merit Awards:
• Steven Orchard Lawyers Regional Award Most Promising Entrant - Lisa Field
• AgriSmart Limited Employee Engagement Award – Anthony Lamborn
• Essential Nutrition Ltd Management Award – George King
• Landcorp Farming Ltd Leadership Award – Del Bruce
• Fonterra Farm Source Dairy Management Award – Anthony Lamborn
• DeLaval Livestock Management Award – Anthony Lamborn
• PrimaryITO Power Play Award – George King
• Westpac Financial Management & Planning Award – Del Bruce
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards:
• Silver Fern Farms Most Promising Entrant – Dallas Bradley
• Dairy Holdings Limited Farming Knowledge Award – Tim Green
• Crombie Lockwood New Zealand Ltd Communication & Engagement Award – Sam Goffriller
• Cuffs Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors Community & Industry Involvement Award –Sam Goffriller
• DairyNZ Practical Skills Award – Luke Chisnall
ENDS