Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones won the 2026 Hawke's Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmer of the Year at the Dairy Industry Awards.
The winners of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual awards dinner held at Copthorne Solway Park in Masterton last Thursday evening.
Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones were named the region’s Share Farmer of the Year, with Sam Cooper winning the Dairy Manager of the Year title, and Conor Attrill being named Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The Share Farmers of the Year winners won seven merit awards, along with a total prize package of $8100.
The couple, both 41, are 50/50 sharemilking 200 cows for Michelle and Duncan Brown on 80ha at Woodville.
With four children, Hudson and Jones are driven to excel in their farm business, and they take great pride in their cows.
They also enjoy encouraging the next generation to pursue farming and work closely with the local school to give other children the opportunity to take calves from their herd to the Calf Club.
Judges said it was evident that the couple had a strong commitment to their community, farm owners and relief staff.
“The mahi they are doing to reduce the urban-rural divide and encourage young people to get involved with rearing calves, showing them both locally and in district competitions, is encouraging to see.”
Entering the Dairy Industry Awards has opened up opportunities and given them a lens to see their business in a new light and make improvements.
The couple’s next goal is to buy land to rear extra calves or look for an equity partnership opportunity.
Sam Cooper, the winner of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year title, enjoys the multiple skills and variety that a farming career brings.
“Some days I’m a fencer, some days I’m a stockman, some days a plumber, some days a digger driver, and some days I even spend time in the office trying to figure out Excel,” he said.
The 32-year-old grew up on a dairy farm and is now farm manager for his parents, Eliot and Mary Cooper, on a 196ha, 530-cow farm at Pahiatua.
“We are a tight-knit family, milking 1200 cows over three cowsheds in the Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay, with my sister and father running the other farm and my mother being a weapon in administration.
“We make a great team and work well together.”
Cooper travelled and worked in Australia and milked cows in Scotland and the South Island before returning to Hawke’s Bay when the family had an opportunity to purchase a second property.
Working out on the farm is definitely his happy place.
“I just really enjoy being out there and doing it,” he said.
“The cows get me out of bed every morning.
“I know they rely on me to milk them, so I show up for them every day, and they show up for me.”
Cooper won $6200 in prizes and five merit awards.
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year, Conor Attrill, takes home a prize package of $5900 plus three merit awards.
Being stuck at home on the family farm during the covid lockdown, away from boarding school, cemented Attrill’s passion for dairying.
“I realised how deeply connected I was to farming and how special the farming lifestyle truly is.”
After school, he studied for a Bachelor of Agribusiness, majoring in farm management at Massey University.
He then worked for two years in Canterbury as part of the Grassroots Graduate Dairy Farming Programme.
Attrill moved to Hawke’s Bay and works as 2IC for Greg and Gail Mitchell at Patoka, milking 845 cows on 341ha.
The 23-year-old entered the Dairy Industry Awards develop his skills and knowledge and expand his network.
The Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards winner’s field day will be held on March 17, at 10.45 am, 224 Kumeroa Road, Woodville 4997, Fonterra S/N 46971.
Further details on the Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards winners and upcoming Field Day can be found here.
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmer of the Year
Winner: Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones
Runner up: Anna and Damian Hopkins
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner: Sam Cooper
Runner up: Micah Wratt
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner: Conor Attrill
Runner up: Johanna Wessels
Third: Lucas Wilson Taopua
Share Farmer Merit Awards
Dairy Manager Merit
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards
- Supplied by Dairy Industry Awards