Ahuwhenua Trophy finalist Onenui Station to be showcased at field day

Onenui Station at Mahia will showcase itself on Thursday in the second field day associated with the Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming.

Onenui Station at Mahia opens its gates to visitors on Thursday in the second field day associated with the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming.

The proprietors of Tawapata South, Onenui Station, on Mahia Peninsula and the Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust in Northland are the two finalists.

More than 200 people turned out last week to the field day at the farm of the Northland trust. It drew rural professionals, sponsors, Māori agribusiness leaders, farmers and whānau.

Trust co-chair Morris Pita said the day was everything they could have hoped for and more.

Ahuwhenua Trophy management committee Nukuhia Hadfield said it was a great field day enjoyed by all those who made the effort to go to see the farm.

The team at Onenui Station at Mahia will present their field day tomorrow. From left are farm manager Logan McClelland, Tawapata South committee member Natalie Paewai, chairman Lester White and committee member Corban Paewai. Photo / John Cowpland-Alphapix

Hadfield said the field days were a fabulous feature of the Ahuwhenua competition because they got people out into “the real hinterland of Aotearoa”, enabling them to see the amazing achievements of people who worked in remote places and often under difficult conditions.

“Field days such as this show in a very practical way the great achievements of Māori. You see the pride of the people who whakapapa here. They have been alienated from this land for so long — this event is huge for them.”

She was looking forward to the field day at Mahia, which starts at 9am.

The overall winner will be announced at an awards dinner at Fly Palmy Arena in Palmerston North on June 6.