The judges and their guides get ready for the start of two days' judging the short list of properties in the Silver Fern Farms Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year contest. Contest committee chairman, Hawke's Bay A&P Society immediate past-president and former winner Peter Tod (left), sponsors Silver Fern Farms regional manager Malcolm Gourlie, judges Derek Daniels and Peter Keeling, and Mathew Barham, a former winner now on the organising committee. Photo/Warren Buckland
The judges and their guides get ready for the start of two days' judging the short list of properties in the Silver Fern Farms Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year contest. Contest committee chairman, Hawke's Bay A&P Society immediate past-president and former winner Peter Tod (left), sponsors Silver Fern Farms regional manager Malcolm Gourlie, judges Derek Daniels and Peter Keeling, and Mathew Barham, a former winner now on the organising committee. Photo/Warren Buckland
Judges in the Silver Fern Farms Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year contest will by today have a good idea as to who's going to win when the big announcement is made at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds Events Centre in Hastings next Thursday.
Central North Island farmer Peter Keeling hasspent the last two days visiting those in the running, and touring the properties.
It's no summer holiday, according to competition committee chairman, former winner and Hawke's Bay A&P Society immediate past president Peter Tod, who says the judges first had to study the stack of paperwork farmers submitted with their entries.
The entrants had to open their operation to the scrutiny of the judges, including financial and stock records, and almost every secret purported to be helping make a success of the businesses.
Next week's function, for which tickets are still available, also includes the presentation of the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for outstanding service to farming, the Hawke's Bay A&P Lawson Robinson Scholarship, and the Hawke's Bay Farm Forester of the Year.
Sevens rugby coach Sir Gordon Tietjens is the guest speaker, just back from winning the Hong Kong Sevens and headed next for the Glasgow Sevens in Scotland next month.
