North has 32 hopefuls in national dairy awards

Nominees for the 2015 Dairy Industry Awards have been announced.

A total of 539 entries have been received nationally in the 2015 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

Thirty-two of the entries are from Northland - eight in the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year contest and 12 each in the Farm Manager and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions.

The Northland entrants are competing for about $40,000 worth of prizes.

The national prize pool is still in draft form but is likely to total more than $180,000 including.

- About $105,000 for the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, including nearly $50,000 in prizes for the winner alone.

- The Farm Manager competition has a prize pool of about $50,000, with the winner getting a package worth about $25,000.

- The national winners in the Dairy Trainee of the Year competition will split a prize pool worth about $25,000 with the winner collecting prizes worth about $17,000.

The eight Northland entries in the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year contest are: Colin and Isabella Beazley, of Wellsford; Logan and Kim Gubb, of Kaikohe; Todd Imeson, of Hikurangi; Dan Noakes and Jodi Antunovich, of Titoki; Grant and Danielle Petterd, of Kerikeri; Craig and Karen Puller, of Matakohe; Brad and Lesley Roberts, of Hikurangi; and Dan and Liz van der Kaap, of Mangapai.

Northland entries in the Farm Manager of the Year competition are: Jesse and Sharon Bagley, of Wellsford; Durin Blakeborough, of Waiharara; Luke Boylan, of Purua; Oliver Castell, of Kokopu; Shane Cooper, of Kaitaia; Kevin De Groot, of Matakohe; Joe and Jenima Foster, of Okaihau; Karla Frost, of Dargaville; Renee and Kris Gatehouse, of Ruawai; Bruce Jones, of Kaikohe; Phillip and Pia Rockell, of Kaiwaka; and Loretta Smyth, of Kaikohe.

The 12 Northland entries in the Dairy Trainee of the Year contest are: Kyle Hobson, of Ruawai; J Horsford, of Kawakawa; Teneale Horsford, of Kawakawa; Kelsey Jacobson, of Whangarei; Mike Jensen, of Kerikeri; Michael Jones, of Titoki; Lindsey Keogh. of Matakohe; Elliot Nelson, of Hikurangi; Codi O'Neill, of Ruawai; Lui Peti, of Whangarei; Rangi Rix, of Maungaturoto; and Kim Simpson, of Maromaku.

Photographs of entrants and details of the farms where they work will be published next month after the Northland regional managers of the awards, Ian Douglas and Rowena Butterworth-Boord, have finalised entry details.

Entrants will meet the contest sponsors and previous winners at the Spire Pavilion in Whangarei on January 22 and judges will meet for a briefing on February 4.

Northland Dairy Trainee preliminary judging will be held on February 11-12 and final judging of the trainees will be on February 19.

Sharemilker/Equity Farmer and Farm Manager preliminary judging will be held on February 16-18 and their final judging will be on February 25-27.

The winners of the three Northland competitions will be announced at a regional awards dinner at Toll Stadium in Whangarei on March 10.

The winners of the three Northland competitions will meet their counterparts from the other 10 regions for a week of networking and judging between April 28 and May 2.

The national winners will be announced on May 2.