Wairere Central Districts Red Meat Farm Business of the Year co-ordinator Rob Stratton is relieved he is not one of the judges given the level of quality entered. Photo / Supplied 070222WCSup01.JPG
Wairere Central Districts Red Meat Farm Business of the Year co-ordinator Rob Stratton is relieved he is not one of the judges given the level of quality entered. Photo / Supplied 070222WCSup01.JPG
Two stages of judging have begun after entries for the inaugural Wairere Central Districts Red Meat Farm Business of the Year closed in late January.
While helping select and organise the two judging panels, competition co-ordinator Rob Stratton said he was happy not being one of the people making thedecisions, as the contestant quality was really high.
"This competition is all about promoting the skill, professionalism of red meat farmers we have in the region while operating in a sustainable manner and all of the entrants have that in spades," Stratton said.
"The credibility of these competitions, however, often sits with the quality of the judges and we are lucky to have been able to put together a quality group of judges with practical farming expertise, a mix of professional experiences and in the case of one, knowledge of what it's like to compete and win a similar competition."
The judging panel for the first round comprises Ally Apthorp, a previous winner of the equivalent competition in the Tararua region, Taihape farmer and independent company director Mark Crystall, and rural business adviser, independent director and farmer Sean Stafford.
The second-round panel is made up of Whanganui-based farm consultant and farmer Rob Gollan and head of the Hunterville vet practice and larger-scale farmer Martin Walshe, with Stafford providing continuity being on both panels.
The format for the rest of the competition includes the winner announcement on March 2 during a function at Orlando Country, followed by a field day to be held on the winner's farm on March 31.
