Central Hawke's Bay farmers Hugh and Sharon Ritchie took out the prestigious Silver Fern Farms Farmer of the Year Award at last night's glamorous ceremony at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds.
The husband and wife team run a farm on Drumpeel Rd, Otane.
Silver Fern Farms Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year committee chairman Peter Tod said the Ritchie's farm was a large-scale business that used the latest technology to optimise efficiency and profitability. "All this is achieved with a strong focus on sustainable farming and a passion for the environment and his [Mr Ritchie's] soils," Mr Tod said.
Guests at the awards were treated to fine food and wine as part of a menu that was unaltered by yesterday's regional power outage.
Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett was excited to attend the awards for the first time. "It's a great venue, and Hawke's Bay is a great province," Mr Hewett said.