Big awards night arrives for primary sector at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana

The farming sector awaits the announcement of major winner at a Hawke's Bay Primary Sector Awards Dinner. Photo/File

The big night for farming in Hawke's Bay is upon us again with the Primary Sector Awards dinner at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana in Hastings tonight.

There will be seven presentations at the Napier Port-sponsored event, with the feature the Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year Award, in its 45th year and now sponsored by Silver Fern Farms.

Other awards are Pan Pac HB Farm Forester of the Year, Bayleys Primary Sector Professional of the Year, Hastings District Council Primary Industry Leader of the Year, BWR Primary Sector Innovation Award, the Lawson Robinson HB A&P Scholarship, and the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for long-term service and involvement in the agriculture sector.

Entrants in the Farmer of the Year Award went through an exacting process of business scrutiny, opening up their books and their farms last month to judges Wairarapa property consultant Geordie McCallum and North Waikato farmer and 2015 Silver Fern Farms Plate to Pasture winner Neil Aicken, who visited properties from the Heretaunga Plains to the northernmost reaches of Hawke's Bay in a two-day judging-fest.

Ahuwhenua Trophy field days
The second of the two Ahuwhenua Trophy national Maori excellence in farming award field days will be held today near Rotorua.

Onuku Maori Lands Trust is one of two finalists in this year's award, focusing on dairying.
The field day will be held at Boundary Road Farm, a 72ha property near Lake Rotomahana, about 30km South of Rotorua, where the trust milks 220 cows.

Focusing on dairying, there are no Hawke's Bay finalists this year, the region generally faring better in the alternate years focusing on sheep and beef farming.

The other finalist this year is Mawhera Incorporation which hosted a field day in South Westland last week.

The winner will be announced at the awards presentation in Christchurch on May 25.

Horticulture gears up
The pathway towards the deciding of the national Young Horticulturist of the Year is starting to open up with regional and national sector competitions over the next few months.

Among the events is the Hawke's Bay Young Viticulturist of the Year, to be decided on June 21, and the Hawke's Bay Young Fruitgrower of the Year, to be decided on June 28-29, the first day being at the 2018 National Horticultural Field Days at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay Tomoana.

The national Young Grower of the Year will be decided in Gisborne in August, and the national Young Horticulturist of the Year will be announced in November.

The show goes on
The East Coast Farming Expo, hit by bad weather in Northern Hawke's Bay each year since it was first held, started on time yesterday after a decision was made to continue despite the latest storm.

Organiser Dave Martin said the wet weather had dampened the Wairoa Showgrounds — "but not spirits".

Finer weather was forecast for today, Mr Martin saying he was delighted at the positive attitude and the great Kiwi spirit of getting on with the job.

"We've had people offering to share exhibitor space and be as flexible possible to make the best of a wet situation."