The Three Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Award Winners from left: Gerard Boerjan (Dairy Manager), Thomas and Jennifer Read, (Share Farmers) Brock Cumming (Trainee). Photo / Dave Murdoch
The Three Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Award Winners from left: Gerard Boerjan (Dairy Manager), Thomas and Jennifer Read, (Share Farmers) Brock Cumming (Trainee). Photo / Dave Murdoch
Four days after being crowned the 2018 Hawke's Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year, Thomas and Jennifer Read were still coming to terms with their achievement.
They had counted coming third last year as a career highlight but this year's win tops it, they said, at the farm owned by Thomas's parents Shayne and Lydia Read.
They have 50:50 sharemilked 260 cows on the 91.5ha property on Armstrong Road Dannevirke for the last four years after managing it for two.
The couple were named the 2018 Hawke's Bay Wairarapa Share Farmers of the Year at the region's annual awards dinner held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort in Masterton Thursday March 1.
Thomas and Jennifer say entering the competition has been excellent for networking, growth and knowledge of their business. The couple say their strengths are their ability to see their weaknesses and then improve on them, which minimises risk in their business.
"It's been a huge benefit to receive feedback from the judges on ways we can improve our business. Plus we love the thrill of the competition," they said.
"Team-work is another strength we are proud of," says Jennifer. "We are a family business and strive to have good working relationships with our farm owners, staff and everyone we work with.
They would like to progress to farm ownership and as a good start they won $9250 in prizes.
At the end of the season they take on additional share-milking at the property owned by Mike and Sherynn Harold and Stuart and Sandra Cordell 2km further up Armstrong Road, farmed by 2016 National Share Farmer of the Year winners Mark and Jaime Arnold.
Thomas has known the property and the Cordells all his life and when the property became available he said taking it on was a no-brainer. Having very supportive and active parents, the Cordells to show him the ropes, and the farm in great shape thanks to the Arnolds, Thomas and Jennifer are excited to take on the new challenge.
Working with farm managers and milking 800 cows will be challenging, and the couple say they cannot wait.
Looking across Thomas and Jennifer's farm on Armstrong Road near Dannevirke. Photo / Dave Murdoch
Winning the National Farmer of the Year final in six weeks and looking after a new addition to the family - a six-week-old brother for Annabelle called Jonathan - is going to be the immediate focus. Ex-school teacher Jennifer has a six-week plan already up on the lounge wall.
A sign in the drive says "Caution. slow down. Free range children".
"Ultimately we want to create a business that goes beyond our generation," says Thomas. "Although the children will be free to choose their own path in life we hope they will choose farming. I grew up in the dairy industry, I love working with animals and we love the lifestyle," he says. "We can spend time with our kids, be near to home and there is so much opportunity within this industry to change and grow."
The other major winners on Thursday night were Gerard Boerjan, the 2018 Hawke's Bay Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, and Brock Cumming, the 2018 Hawke's Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Other Tararua placings were:
Mark and Jenny Rosacker of Norsewood - Third in the Share Farmer of the Year.
Matthew McDougall of Dannevirke - Third in Dairy Trainee of the Year. Sumit Kamboj of Eketahuna - Third in the Dairy Manager of the Year.
The Hawke's Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held on March 21 at 375 Armstrong Road RD8 Dannevirke, where Share Farmers of the Year Thomas and Jennifer 50/50 sharemilk.
Also presenting at the field day will be the region's Dairy Manager of the Year, Gerard Boerjan and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Brock Cumming. 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 - Adam Vollebregt
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award - Mark and Jenny Rosacker
Federated Farmers Leadership Award - Adam Vollebregt
