Samantha and Tom Lumsden were named Taranaki's Share Farmer of the Year at the region's Dairy Industry Awards.
The winners of the 2026 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual dinner event held at the TSB Hub at Hāwera on Monday evening.
Samantha and Tom Lumsden were named the region’s Share Farmer of the Year, with Miriam Lauridsen winning the 2026 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year and Shicaela Kane taking out the title for the 2026 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The Lumsdens are a sharemilking partnership, with Samantha managing the daily farm work and Tom working off-farm.
The couple are contract milking for Tom Lance, milking 330 cows on 121ha at Waverley.
After both leaving school at 15 to go dairy farming, the couple say they still love the job and the life it has given them to raise their three children.
Samantha, 35, has been dairy farming for the past 20 years, contract milking for the past six seasons.
Tom, 35, manages a quarry and helps with human resources and maintenance work on the farm.
Samantha has studied Primary ITO Levels 1-4 and completed a Diploma in Agriculture Business while moving up the farming career ladder.
“I love the challenge that comes with running the farm, and I’m really passionate about cows,” she said.
“I am driven by my responsibility to my animals, my business and my family.”
The judges said that Samantha and Tom were “authentic, credible and full of heart, they are outstanding emerging leaders in our industry”.
The couple took home six merit awards and won $11,600.
The 2026 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year, Miriam Lauridsen, took home $6700 and two merit awards.
The 29-year-old is pasture, forage and herd manager for Liam O’Sullivan at New Plymouth, milking 370 cows on 137ha.
Being supported by great employers and studying had continued to lift Lauridsen’s confidence, giving her the belief that she can pursue a career in dairy.
“Doing Primary ITO study and having such amazing and supportive employers has really helped me gain confidence and given me a desire to progress further in the dairy industry,” she said.
Entering the Dairy Industry Awards was another way to push Lauridsen out of her comfort zone.
“The awards process has challenged me to look ahead and set realistic goals for the future and to set up actions to achieve them.”
Shicaela Kane, the 2026 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year, said she wanted to set a good example for other young farmers and women in the dairy industry.
Kane, 23, is a farm assistant for Dominic Schuler at Hāwera, milking 300 cows on 92ha.
She grew up on a dairy farm and worked for a year at a local veterinary clinic before the opportunity came up to work on her family farm alongside her father and brother.
“Getting the opportunity to go out on-farm with the vets really piqued my interest,” she said.
“Seeing the veterinary side was a lot different to relief milking cows as a kid, and it gave me more of an appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the industry.”
Kane is studying a Level 4 New Zealand Apprenticeship in Agriculture, Dairy Farming through Primary ITO.
She is also chairperson for South Taranaki Young Farmers and part of the Dairy Environmental Leaders network.
“I enjoy sharing the same vision of the farmer-led network to help encourage and influence other farmers to make a positive impact on the environment to ensure we have a sustainable future in dairy farming.”
Kane won three merit awards and $5000 for winning the Dairy Trainee title.
Further details on the Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards winners and upcoming Field Day can be found here.
Taranaki Share Farmer of the Year
Winner: Samantha and Tom Lumsden
Runner up: Craig and Kelsey Fisher
Third: Bradley and Melissa Bullot
Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner: Miriam Lauridsen
Runner up: Kate Logan
Third: Laura Potroz
Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner: Shicaela Kane
Runner up: Molly Yarrall
Third: Karleigh Moir
Share Farmer Merit Awards
Dairy Manager Merit
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards
– Supplied by Dairy Industry Awards