BEING named the Richmond/PPCS Wairarapa Sheep and Beef Farmer of the Year has left Kaituna farmers Matt and Lynley Wyeth "absolutely stoked".
Three judges spent half a day at Spring Valley on March 18 looking over the property and its books to come up with decision to give the farm the
top title in the competition.
"We're surprised," said Mr Wyeth, 28 . "The people we were competing against were pretty good farmers and we didn't think we could match up against them. We were totally blown away. It was one of the goals we have strived to achieve..
The Wyeths are the youngest farmers to receive the award and Mr Wyeth puts their success down to understanding their strengths and weaknesses in farming and working through them from a business point of view.
"It's the two Qs, quality and quantity. The whole of farming has been looked at in a different light over the last few years. People see it as a business as opposed to just a lifestyle."
Mr Wyeth says he really enjoys farming and has worked to get his farm running as efficiently as possible.
The Wyeths have owned the property for three years and worked on the farm for three years before that as a managers and share farmers.
Mr Wyeth said it was not money or prizes that motivated him to enter the competition, but the chance to get feedback on the running of his farm and see where he stacked up in the industry.
Spring Valley has 6000 stock units of sheep, cattle and deer. Mr Wyeth's long-term plan is to expand his stock numbers to 10,000 and he is hoping the award may help promote interest in his expansion plans.
The judges said they were impressed with the Wyeths' desire to achieve excellence in all aspects of their farming operation, including stock performance, conservation, financial planning and setting out and achieving clear goals.
A field day will be held on the property on April 13, when people can come and have a look at the farm and check out how it is run.
