Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award open for sheep and beef farms

Kristy Roa was 2019 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Sheep and Beef finalist. Photo/ Supplied

Entries are open for the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award (AYMF).

Māori working on sheep and beef farms nationwide have the chance to enter the prestigious award.

The award was inaugurated 10 years ago and is designed to recognise the achievements of young Māori in the farming and horticulture sectors.

In 2022, the competition is for sheep and beef – in a three-year cycle, young Māori involved in horticulture and dairy are also recognised.

The competition is run in conjunction with the senior Ahuwhenua Trophy, which in 2022 is also open to Māori sheep and beef farmers.

Nukuhia Hadfield, chairwoman of the management committee, which oversees both the Young Māori Farmer competition and the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, says the continued growth within the Māori agribusiness sector has opened up new career opportunities for rangatahi.

"In the relatively short time the AYMF competition has been running, it has brought to the fore some outstanding young Māori men and women who have already excelled in their careers. Since becoming finalists or winners they have moved up to new and more- responsible roles, and many have become inspirational role models.

"I would encourage young Māori men and women to enter this competition. Like others have in the past, they will find that it opens up new opportunities and networks and gives them the self-confidence to achieve their full potential. The Ahuwhenua whānau that runs the competition is both welcoming and supportive and not in any way intimidating. They will have a great time," she says.

Jordan Smith, who won the award in 2013, says it was a positive experience.

"I would recommend it to anybody because it will help them go further in the industry."

Hannah Wallace, 2015 winner, says winning the competition gave her the confidence to achieve her dreams of owning or leasing her own farm.

"It gave me a real confidence boost and made me realise that, yes us females can be farmers, and yes we are good at what we do because we are right up the with the boys."

Entries are now open and entry forms and further details are on the Ahuwhenua website.

Entries close on Friday, February 11, and the finalists will be announced in late March. The winner will be announced at the Ahuwhenua Trophy awards dinner on Friday, May 27. More details are available at www.ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz.