The 2026 Waikato Share Farmers of the Year at the NZ Dairy Awards are Georgie and Glenn van Heuven.
The winners of the 2026 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual awards dinner held at the Sir Don Rowlands Events Centre in Cambridge on Wednesday evening.
Glenn and Georgie van Heuven were named the region’s Share Farmer of the Year, with Annie Gill winning the 2026 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year, and Levi Wesford taking out the title for the 2026 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The van Heuvens have used their farming backgrounds and degrees to work their way toward farm ownership.
They won $17,211 on the night, along with four merit awards.
Glenn, 37, and Georgie, 36, sharemilk 405 cows on 103ha for Sid and Dellas Anderton at Matamata.
Both studied a Bachelor of Applied Science at Massey University, majoring in Agriculture, with Georgie adding a second major of Property Valuation and Management and a postgrad Diploma in Agribusiness.
Glenn has worked his way up the farming ladder, with Georgie now working as a rural bank manager.
The couple have managed to secure a 50% equity partnership in a farm for next season.
They said they loved farming and wanted to be in the top 20% of operators in the dairy industry.
Annie Gill, 24, is a farm manager for Doug and Lorraine Courtman on their 56ha farm at Otorohanga, milking 144 cows.
Gill grew up on a farm with a pedigree dairy herd and is back to living among the black-and-white cows she loves.
“Cows, cows, cows, cows,” she said.
“I’ve always had a shared passion for pedigree cows with my dad.
“I’m now lucky enough to live my passion every day.
“I love genetics, breeding, stockwork and seeing our stock do well for other people.”
Gill’s goal is to be sharemiking in the next two years, and she plans to sell some of her Holsteins to build her equity.
Judges commented that Gill had a clear, realistic and well-structured pathway toward future progression.
“She demonstrated excellent financial literacy, with a strong understanding of her current position.”
Gill won $7896 in prizes along with three merit awards.
Levi Wesford is focused on efficiency and using technology to achieve it.
The 20-year-old is assistant manager for Matthew Weatherland, milking 220 cows on 100ha at Cambridge.
Coming runner-up in the category last year, Wesford was keen to put his new knowledge and skills to the test again this year.
“The awards are a great opportunity to network with rural professionals and leading farmers within the dairy industry.”
Wesford didn’t come from a farming background but got an opportunity to relief milk and turned that into a fulltime position.
“I want to set myself up with a skillset to run my own business and eventually my own farm,” he said.
Wesford won $7621 in prizes along with two merit awards on the night.
Further details on the Waikato Dairy Industry Awards winners and upcoming Field Day can be found here.
Waikato Share Farmer of the Year
Winner: Georgie and Glenn van Heuven
Runner-up: Deependra Parajull
Third: Emma Walton and Jared Van Tiel
Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner: Annie Gill
Runner-up: Danielle Brown
Third: George Eaddy
Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner: Levi Wesford
Runner-up: Abigail McLean
Third: Renee Teers
Share Farmer Merit Awards
Dairy Manager Merit
Dairy Trainee Merit Awards
– Supplied by Dairy Industry Awards