Daniel and Zara Colgan have been named the 2026 Northland Share Farmers of the Year.
The winners of the 2026 Northland Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual awards dinner held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort in the Bay of Islands on Saturday evening.
Daniel and Zara Colgan were jointly named the region’s Share Farmer of the Year, with Cole Henwood winning the Northland Dairy Manager of the Year and Hayden Lupton taking out the 2026 Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The Colgans are equity partners in a 200ha farm at Kaiwaka, milking 400 cows.
Daniel Colgan owns 25% equity, Zara Colgan 24%, while Daniel Colgan’s parents own 51%.
The couple are most proud of increasing production on the farm by 19% while creating a more sustainable farm operation and having high staff retention.
Daniel Colgan, 33, also won the 2020 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager of the Year while working as a second-in-charge (2IC) on a 1000-cow farm at Mercer.
He left that job to buy into the Kaiwaka farm.
Zara Colgan, 30, a former primary school teacher, has fully embraced the dairy farming life and has started her own private tutoring business.
The couple say they are excited to raise their 1-year-old daughter, Ellie Colgan, in an environment they are proud of, on land they are responsible for looking after.
The judges said the couple demonstrated “outstanding leadership within their community and the wider dairy industry”.
“They actively promote farming in a positive light, and provide hands-on educational experiences for local school children via their farming planting initiative”.
The Colgans won $9000 in prizes on the night, along with four merit awards.
Cole Henwood is the farm manager for Ken and Mary Finlayson, milking 650 cows on their 305ha farm at Whangārei.
“As a fourth-generation dairy farmer, farming has always been a part of my life,” he said.
“One of my biggest achievements was successfully taking over management of a 1200-cow farm at 20 years old.”
The judges praised Henwood for his confident dairy management capability and professionalism, saying it reflected “a well-run operation and a manager ready for the next level”.
Henwood won $6160 in prizes and three merit awards.
Hayden Lupton, 29, is a farm assistant for Greg McCracken, milking 400 cows on 175ha at Wellsford.
He followed in his wife Michaela Lupton’s footsteps, entering the dairy industry and now the Dairy Industry Awards competition.
Hayden Lupton started dairy farming by covering his wife’s role on the farm while she went on maternity leave.
He was inspired by Michaela Lupton [nee McCracken], who entered Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year twice and was runner-up for the Manager award in 2025.
“I decided to put myself out there.”
The judges said Hayden Lupton showed exceptional practical and technical skills.
“It was clear he has a passion for livestock and the industry overall.
“It was evident he has knowledge in what is happening on-farm and not afraid to ask why.”
The couple have sold their house to have equity to buy a herd and go sharemilking next season.
Lupton won $6000 in prizes on the night, along with three merit awards.
Further details on the Northland Dairy Industry Awards winners and upcoming Field Day can be found here.
Northland Share Farmer of the Year
Winner – Daniel and Zara Colgan
Runner-up – Karl and Greg Flintoff
2026 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner – Cole Henwood
Runner-up – Sarah Thorne
Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner – Hayden Lupton
Runner-up – Brittany Overy
Third – Rico McLean
Share Farmer Merit Awards
Dairy Manager Merit
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards
– Supplied by Dairy Industry Awards