Gore farm manager James Matheson has been acknowledged for giving his staff a "head-start'' in the industry.
Matheson (26) was named runner-up in the Dairy Manager of the Year at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Wellington at the weekend.
He is the manager on Chris Lawlor's 290ha, 700-cow property, and the pair have been endeavouring to help other young people follow a similar career path.
Staff were encouraged to put overtime pay into stock - which would then be raised with the other young stock and milked into the herd - to increase their equity.
That was a similar pathway to that Matheson had used for his own equity growth, which allowed him to purchase a neighbouring 35ha block last season.