Hawke's Bay's top farmers

Tom and Anna Clouston have lived on farms most of their lives.
But when it came to entering the Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year contest, they hadn't been in any hurry to parade their achievements and plans to the world, until they decided to enter the competition this year for the first time. They had, after all, been running the 653ha of Tangmere at Flemington, between Waipukurau and Porangahau, for just four years.
Mr Clouston, 38, grew up on the property, established from a ballot block claimed by grandfather Will Clouston in 1951.
Father Richard took over the farm in the early 1970s, and apart from his years away at Wanganui Collegiate and five years in banking, Tom Clouston has seen sheep and beef cattle almost every day since he was born.
His wife, 39, grew up on a farm at Hangatiki in South Waikato, and dairy cows were her lot, never too far away, even when she was at Waikato Diocesan School in Hamilton.
They run up to 6000 stock on the property bounded by Ngawaka and Nicholls Rds, including 2700 ewes and 700 Friesian bulls, while back at the homestead there are three willing helpers, sons and budding farmers Sam, Will, and Ben.
Mr Clouston says the whole process, right up to the big night "was probably one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life".
But any reticence they may have had about entering was overcome when the judges arrived to inspect the property. "We sat down, talked about who we are, what we're doing and where we see things going in the future," Mr Clouston said, after overcoming the speechlessness he felt when the award was announced at a gala event in the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds Exhibition Hall, or Events Centre as it is now being called.
"Then we threw them in the ute and gave them a guided tour around the farm."
The judges soon picked up on the couple's focus on risk management involving stock policies, land capabilities and soil types, and their use of existing and new technology. There had been strong economic performance, considering the land class and climatic conditions of recent years.
The farm policy aimed to maximise the income at the appropriate times, and Mr Clouston said he learned a lot from the 2003 drought.
Other farmers have the chance to learn from their experiences at the obligatory Farmer of the Year field day on May 5, where among the messages will be how to learn from tough times.