Property Brokers Tararua Excellence in Farming Awards a huge hit

A large crowd packed the Tui Brewery Flagon Room in Mangatainoka for the evening. Photo / Dave Murdoch

The Property Brokers Tararua Excellence in Farming Awards were held at the Tui Brewery Mangatainoka on Wednesday, April 5. They were organised by the same group that had put on the Tararua Sheep & Beef Farm Business of the Year & Shepherd of the Year for Tararua in previous years.

This year it decided to cancel the latter two events because of Cyclone Gabrielle, but luckily it had three new nominations-based awards which had been open since December and on Wednesday evening they were presented. The new awards were:

■ Tararua Women in Agriculture Award

■ Tararua Agricultural Professional of the Year Award

■ MCI & Associates Tararua Agricultural Industry Champion Award

The organisers, as well as announcing the winners, decided the evening was to be all about Tararua farmers and rural communities, especially those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. It said on its website: “Our hearts go out to our local Tararua communities and beyond. We are with you as we begin to recover.”

This year they worked with sponsors and the Tararua District Council to ensure farmers could receive a free ticket to the event as well as free transport to the venue from Weber, the worst-hit area, free supper and a drink during the evening.

It also arranged a wonderful guest speaker, Andrew Stewart, a fourth-generation sheep and beef farmer from Rangitikei who shared his recovery story from two devastating floods in 2004 and 2015.

After a welcome by MC Jacques Reinhardt of BakerAg, organising committee co-chairperson Trudy Hales explained that they wanted to create a night when farmers and wives could get off their farm and relax, acknowledging that “it is tough out there, but there are inspiring stories to share about the actions of a pretty amazing community”.

Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis then spoke about the Tararua District Council’s emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle, highlighting the work of the organising team working long hours in the council chamber, the Scanpower team that worked long hours in difficult conditions restoring power, the reconnaissance teams that contacted hundreds of farms on road trips not without serious risk, and the work of Tararua Alliance and Horizons in assessing river, bridge and road conditions.

She said the Mayoral Emergency Fund was in a healthy state and she worried those affected by Gabrielle might not ask for help, saying: “There is always someone worse off than themselves.” She said: “Others worse off do not diminish what you are going through,” and she urged people to ask for assistance. “The mayoral fund is there to help.”

She also spoke of sunflowers as a symbol of happiness and hope, saying her husband Mike began growing them in a crop nearly 20 years ago, which brought so much positive response he has grown them ever since and she gives away the free seeds. “It is appropriate the award winners have sunflowers in their bouquets,” she said.

Speaking for the chief sponsor, Property Brokers, general manager for rural sales Conrad Wilkshire said there were three certainties in farming: constant work, uncertainty and pain.

He said after a very positive time with high revaluations and low-interest rates, things are now in pain but he believed the future would be a more level playing field in the property market.

Farmers needed to remember their work made a real difference to the economy but it would take time for it to recover. “An overnight success everyone knows usually takes 10-20 years of hard work,” he said.

After a brief supper stop, the first two awards were presented. Tararua Women In Agriculture was won by Sally Dryland.

Her citation said: “Sally and her husband Chris farm at Mangatainoka. Sally is the current president of Federated Farmers Tararua. She works hard advocating for farmers and pressing for a sensible approach to regulations, such as He Waka Eke Noa, and improved environmental outcomes among many other things.

“Sally is often in the media advocating and lobbying for farmer rights and helping urban folks understand the challenges farmers are facing. These roles are huge and require a great deal of personal time. "

In response, Sally said women made a significant contribution to New Zealand agriculture and in particular to Tararua. Her inspiration to take on a role such as hers came from her mother, who was her role model and still took an interest in farming at 85.

She said one of the greatest roles for women was to help raise another generation interested in farming.

The other two nominees were Abbe Hoare, farming with her partner at Mangamaire, and Rebecca Greaves, who farms with husband Richard at Pongaroa.

Tararua Agricultural Professional of the Year Award was won by Simon Marshall.

His citation read: “Simon’s knowledge and skill as a vet is second to none. As a part-owner of Dannevirke Vet Services, he runs an excellent business and supports our community in ways above and beyond the services of a vet. He is an outstanding facilitator for the Tararua Farming for Profit group, he has been a worm-wise facilitator for many years, he has facilitated a local RMPP group and the Waitahora farming discussion group for many years. Simon is extremely professional but also really approachable and widely respected within the Tararua community.”

In reply, Simon said he loved his job because it followed his passion, allowing him to not only meet and treat animals but also giving him the opportunity to meet really good people in the farming industry.

The other two nominees were Rachel Joblin, a farm consultant with BakerAg, and Dr Karen Woodley, a veterinarian with Tararua Vet Services.

After another refreshment break, Andrew Stewart spoke about how he worked his recovery on his farm near Marton after two disastrous floods. His message was not to give up and he offered several practical pieces of advice.

Allan Benbow (right), with award sponsor Sean Stafford, was honoured to win Tararua Agricultural Champion of the Year.

Then came the top award of the evening, the MCI & Associates Tararua Agriculture Industry Champion Award, which was won by Allan Benbow.

His citation read: “Allan Benbow has been a huge advocate for the rural community in Tararua for many, many years. His work leading the Tararua Community Impact Group, which lobbied for a more sensible approach from Horizons on the implementation of the One Plan, is one good example. He has been a Horizons regional councillor for Tararua for three terms and is the current chair of Scanpower. He has also lobbied actively for common-sense outcomes for farmers through his role at Horizons and has provided leadership around the rescue of what is now the Kiwi Sock Company in Norsewood and the redevelopment of the redundant Oringi freezing works site.”

In response, Allan said he gained great satisfaction from seeing those actions help Tararua and in particular its rural people. One thing he regretted was the decline of NZ Woolspinners, which at its peak employed 130 people. To be involved in Scanpower and Horizons Regional Council had been very rewarding – just that day he had helped attain Horizons funding for Gabrielle Recovery.

There were four other nominees for the champion award: Richard Murfitt, a long-standing and valued member of the Makuri community and the wider Tararua district; Janine Swansson, a long-standing part of the NZ Dairy Awards, playing a crucial role in local plantain trials; Jerome Pitt, a rural real estate agent for 30 years in Dannevirke and districts, having previously been a successful shearing contractor and farmer; and Kevin Rooke, a long-standing employee of Horizons Regional Council in the land management team.

Shaun Stafford, of award sponsor MCI & Associates, summed up the awards saying: “Often those who stand up and make a difference for the farming community do so behind the scenes and are often not recognised. This is why MCI & Associates were keen to sponsor as a small recognition of all they have done.”

After the awards, Jed Murphy described the great success of Shear 4 U – a project in which local shearers Vaughan Wrenn, Adam Roe, Isaac Scott and Dan Billing shore for 24 hours at Pukemiro Station, raising $130,000 in sponsorship for the Breast Cancer Foundation, Rural Support Trust and Hear4U.

The evening closed with the promise to come back even bigger and better next year.