Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Award winners named

Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Award winners (from left) Simon and Hilary Vallely, Jaime McCrostie, 2018 dairy manager of the year, and Simone Smail, 2018 dairy trainee of the year.

Smiles are still shining after the Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Awards winners were announced recently.

Gore sharemilkers Simon and Hilary Vallely are 2018 Southland-Otago Share Farmers of the Year, while Jaime McCrostie, of Winton, is Southland-Otago Dairy Manager of the Year and Simone Smail, of Invercargill, is Southland-Otago Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Accepting their award at the Bill Richardson Transport Museum in Invercargill, the Vallelys thanked everyone for their ongoing support.

Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Awards winners (from left) dairy trainee Simone Smail, share farmers Simon and Hilary Vallely, and dairy manager Jaime McCrostie. Photo: NZDIA

For them, the journey started with a phone call from regional leader Callum Stalker encouraging the pair to enter.

''The whole process of this has been a big learning curve,'' Mr Valley said.

''We're looking forward to representing the province with pride.''

The pair (both 31) are 50:50 sharemilkers on David and Valerie Strafford's 160ha farm near Gore.

Second place in Share Farmer of the Year went to Steven and Hayley Clarke, of Gore, and third was Jason Checketts, of Castlerock.

Dairy Manager of the Year Jaime McCrostie, farm manager for employer Steve Smith and AB Lime near Winton, said it all would not have been possible without her team.

Miss McCrostie won half of the manager merit awards as well, including the McIntyre Dick & Partners Employee Engagement Award, Shand Thomson Leadership Award Fonterra Farm Source Dairy Management Award and the DeLaval Livestock Management Award.

Miss McCrostie said she took great pride in winning these awards as the farm team and cows were two of the most important parts of dairy farming.

''Most people become dairy farmers because they like cows. To be recognised for looking after my girls [is pretty amazing.]''

Second in the Dairy Manager of the Year competition was Chloe Mackle, of Invercargill, and third was James Matheson, of Gore.

Dairy Trainee of the Year Simone Smail, of Invercargill, is in her third year full-time dairy farming, working for Steve and Tracy Henderson, of Awarua.

Accepting her award, Miss Smail thanked her bosses for giving her an opportunity and start in the dairy industry.

Miss Smail received four of the five trainee merit awards.

''I couldn't have got here with out the help of everybody I have met in the industry. Every little bit of information that has been passed on to help me get where I am today means a lot.''

Second place in the Dairy Trainee of the Year competition went to Shannon Bunn, of Heriot, and third place went to Caycee Cormack, of Heriot.

The group will now represent the region at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, which are being held in Invercargill in May.

Southern Rural Life