The entry process requires some hard work but entrants should expect to gain invaluable feedback from the judging process.
By submitting an entry and being judged the farm business will get a good 'once over' that it may not have otherwise had.
The judging usually occurs in a two stage process, the first is an interview and the second stage is a farm visit.
This will be the fifth year the revamped competition has been held in the Tararua District.
The previous winners of the competition are Andrew and Vicki Ellingham (2013) and Shaun and Tracie Baxter (2014), Ken and Steph Norman (2015) and Peter and Ally Apthorp (2016).
There has been great interest in the competition from local sheep and beef businesses with large numbers of entries each year.
The committee would love to see this trend continue and would encourage anyone who is keen to enter to complete an entry form or if they need a bit more encouragement to contact one of the committee members.
The winners of the 2016 Tararua Sheep and Beef Farm Business of the Year, Peter and Ally Apthorp, said, "We found entering the TSBFBY competition to be a very worthwhile experience.
"The judging process provided a great opportunity and structure for reflecting on our business and decision making processes. And it really highlighted for us our strengths and weaknesses and the direction we feel our business should be headed.
"It has helped to create a profile for our business, expanding our network and providing new business opportunities."
In previous years winners have taken home a prize package of up to $20,000 for the Farmer of the Year and up to $5000 for the Shepherd of the Year competitions.
Local businesses have an opportunity to sponsor this competition.
Sponsors are exposed to the top farmers in the Tararua region and other rural service providers.
It provides a great networking opportunity and gives businesses another chance to give back to a great industry.
Farmers can also contribute by allowing the proceeds of their dag sales to be donated to the competition. If farmers are interested in doing this please contact Elders Primary Wool, 06 374 5347.
The field day is always very popular with the numbers attending the Apthorps' property last year exceeding 200.
The afternoon session provides a very detailed look at the finer details of the business and allows questions to be answered and any specific areas of the business to be 'drilled' into.
As part of the competition, the committee will be running the Shepherd of the Year again as well.
There are a lot of up and coming farmers in our region currently shepherding.
This competition aims to give them a goal to strive for and a pathway to develop their skills and also win some great prizes on the way.
Nominations are now open through to February, with judging being held in March before the public field day.
Entries for both competitions opened on December 10 and close on February 10. Entry forms are available from Farmlands in Dannevirke and Pahiatua, MCI & Associates.
The competition has a Facebook page so please visit the page and 'like' it so you can stay updated and your friends can find it also.
- For more information contact Dan Billing 027 444 2173.
