Hawke's Bay's best young viticulturist of 2022 to be revealed this week

Hawke's Bay Young Viticulturist 2022 contestant, 29-year-old Douw Grobler, from Trinity Hill, has competed before in the 2020 Hawke's Bay competition. Photo / NZME

Hawke's Bay's Young Viticulturist of the Year 2022 will be selected this week.

Eight contestants will compete in "horti-sports" at the Paritua Vineyard and Winery before finishing the final parts of the contest in the evening at Mission Estate Winery on Thursday.

The regional competition decides who will be Hawke's Bay's representative at the 2022 Young Viticulturist of the Year National Final.

A Hyundai Kona for a year, a $5000 Ecotrellis travel grant and $2000 cash are among the prizes up for grabs for the winner of the national competition.

The open-entry Hawke's Bay Silver Secateurs grape pruning competition will run simultaneously in the morning.

The daytime events will be followed by a closing dinner at Mission Estate Winery.

The evening includes a celebration of Sam Bain, the 2021 national Young Viticulturist of the year from Hawke's Bay, speeches, quizzes and a prizegiving.

The eight Hawke's Bay young viticulturist contestants are Joseph Stenburg from Woodthorpe Terraces, Jamie Scoon from Te Mata Estate, Douw Grobler from Trinity Hill Wines Ltd, Laura Marston from Craggy Range, Robbie Golding, Jessica Sunderland-Wells, Daniel Brewster from AONZ Fine Wine Estates and Sarah St George from Villa Maria.

The Silver Secateurs event has two categories, the solo Championship Pruner event and the Championship Teams event, limited to 10 entries each.

There is a total prize pool of $2500 up for grabs for the first three placings in each category.

For more information and to send entry forms, email jonny.latrobe@fruitfedsupplies.co.nz.

Entries close on June 15.