Havelock North vineyard snap showcases Kiwi farming spirit, wins top prize in NZ AgriPhoto contest

New Zealand’s Biggest AgriPhoto winner features one of the RSE workers at Te Mata Estate Winery during their time hand-picking, sporting a big smile.

Taradale’s Carl Gundersen beat out more than 150 other entries to win the grand prize for New Zealand’s inaugural Biggest AgriPhoto Competition.

Gundersen’s winning image was taken at Te Mata Estate Winery in Havelock North, where he has been working for 29 years since leaving high school.

The photo featured an RSE worker during their time hand-picking at the winery, with a big smile.

“The Vanuatu boys were there that day, and that’s one of them in that photo,” he said.

“They always have a big smile on their faces; they are lovely people. He was loading the grapes into our bin when I took the photo.”

Carl Gundersen at Te Mata Estate Winery in Havelock North, where he has been working for 29 years. Photo/ Rafaella Melo

Gundersen manages daily vineyard operations and is responsible for the winery’s grape-picking process, which involves about 100 people.

“I love working in the outdoors. It’s just great,” Gundersen says.

The announcement of his win came when he was at home with his wife.

“It popped up on the Facebook page of the company that was running the competition,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was really happy. I ran downstairs and showed it to my wife saying, ‘Look, look, I won!’”

The contest was designed by BASF Agricultural Solutions to celebrate the love, challenges and beauty of farming life in the country.

A BASF spokesperson said Gundersen’s photograph “embodies the theme ‘For the Love of Farming’ by capturing the joyous spirit and dynamic energy of farming in New Zealand”.

Gundersen's prize was a DJI Air 3 4K drone valued at $2200. "I am using it to capture different angles of the vineyard," he says. Photo/ Rafaella Melo

Weekly prizes of Apple iPads were awarded to four competitors, leading up to Gundersen’s grand prize of a DJI Air 3 4K drone valued at $2200.

“It’s a great prize to win. I am using it to capture different angles of the vineyard,” Gundersen said.