Judges have announced eight finalists for the 2022 Zanda McDonald Award.
Now in its eighth year, the prestigious award recognises future young leaders working in agriculture and provides an impressive prize package centred around a tailored Transtasman mentoring programme.
The eight talented finalists - four from Australia and four from New Zealand - have been selected for their passion for the industry, strong leadership skills, and the contributions they're making in the primary sector.
There will be not one, but two winners for 2022 – one from each side of the Tasman.
The decision to have two winners was due to Covid-19 disruptions, Zanda McDonald Award founder Shane McManaway said.
"It is just so problematic trying to get one person over that ditch at the moment, so we thought we'd break it into two," McManaway told The Country's Jamie Mackay.
Getting down to the final eight wasn't an easy task for the judges, McManaway said.
"There have been some great applicants this year, right across both countries, so it was really hard work to get down to the final eight."
The Kiwi winner will be announced in November 2021, but the Australian winner might not be revealed until January, due to Covid-19 border closures, McManaway said.
Both winners will pick up a personal development package, which includes a fully personalised mentoring trip in Australia and New Zealand (when travel allows).
The winners also receive up to $10,000 worth of tailored education or training and media coaching, as well as other opportunities within the industry.
While $10,000 was a "nice reward" the benefits of the mentoring programme and meeting "fabulous people" was "the icing on the cake," McManaway said.
The four New Zealand finalists are:
New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award finalists (clockwise from top left), Adam Thompson, Katie Vickers, Olivia Weatherburn and Rhys Roberts. Photos / Supplied
• Adam Thompson, 35, director of Restore Native Plant Nursery, beef farmer and mortgage broker from Cambridge. • Katie Vickers, 28, Head of Sustainability and Land Use for Farmlands, from Christchurch. • Olivia Weatherburn, 33, National Extension Programme Manager for Beef + Lamb New Zealand, from Mossburn Southland. • Rhys Roberts, 34, chief executive of market garden and farm operation Align Farms, from mid-Canterbury.
The four Australian finalists are:
Australian Zanda McDonald Award finalists (clockwise from top left), Charlie Perry, Kate McBride, Gavin Rodman and Jeremy Cummins Photos / Supplied
• Charlie Perry, 35, manager and partner at family-owned wagyu beef farm Trent Bridge Partnership, from Guyra, Northern NSW. • Kate McBride, 23, a fifth-generation farmer and station hand at Tolarno Station, and researcher at The Australia Institute, from Western NSW. • Gavin Rodman, 28, District Manager - Far North, Sugar Research Australia, from Cairns. • Jeremy Cummins, 34, owner and manager for feedlot and backgrounding business Bottlejac Trading Company in NSW and QLD.
Find out more about the Zanda McDonald Award here.
