Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year Reno Moses.
It was third time lucky for the Dairy Manager of the Year at the 2026 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards.
Reno Moses took the title at the annual awards dinner, held recently in the Awakeri Events Centre near Edgecumbe.
The 28-year-old is a farm manager for Scott and Rebecca O’Brien on Rory and Susan Gordon’s 260ha farm at Galatea, Eastern Bay of Plenty, milking 700 cows in a 50-bale rotary shed.
This was the third straight year Moses had entered the Dairy Industry Awards, placing third in the Dairy Manager category in 2024.
Moses said he first entered the awards programme after being encouraged by the O’Briens, Share Farmers of the Year at the 2022 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards.
The same year, they received the DairyNZ People and Culture Award at the national finals, while Rebecca O’Brien was also named the Dairy Women’s Network Regional Leader of the Year.
Moses said entering the New Zealand Dairy Awards challenged him to look at his role from a whole farm perspective.
“It’s about knowing why we do the things we do,” he said.
“It motivates you to do better.”
Entering the awards also gave him more confidence, with his previous years’ involvement standing him in good stead.
“I knew what it was all about.”
Moses said it helped that he’s always asking questions of himself in the role.
Judging this year at the regional level was based on a presentation covering aspects including farm records, herd management, targets for body condition scores in the herd, mating results, pasture and feed.
Judging for this year’s awards looked at his farm training – Moses has completed Level 5 in Primary ITO Products and Management – and the training for his three staff on the Galatea property.
Environmental aspects of his farm practices were also covered during the presentation, focusing on effluent and fertiliser application limits on pasture.
Moses said his presentation was similar to previous years, but more in-depth this time around.
“I gave it everything and thought I did okay,” he said.
“I certainly didn’t expect to win.
“I would’ve been happy with a merit award.”
After receiving merit awards for dairy management, pasture and feed management, environmental, people and leadership, Moses said he was confident of a placement.
The win, however, left him totally shocked.
“I’m still shocked now,” he told Coast & Country News the morning after the awards evening.
“Far out, I’m buzzing. I’m still gobsmacked.”
Moses grew up in the Murupara area, attending primary school and the bulk of his time at college there before completing his last year at Rotorua Boys’ High School.
He initially wanted to join the Army, but a stint on a local farm through the Gateway work experience programme changed his career path.
“I liked the lifestyle [of farming]. It was a bit of me.”
His first farm job after leaving school was in his local area on a 140ha property milking 400 cows in a 28-a-side herringbone shed.
Moses worked there for four years, his first three as a farm assistant, then second in charge (2IC).
He then linked up with the O’Briens on another property at Galatea, a 102ha block milking 250 cows in a 24-a-side herringbone shed.
Assistant manager for the first season, Moses progressed to farm manager for his next three seasons there.
He is in his second season in his current role with the O’Briens. Moses’ brother Lorenzo Moses is 2IC on the farm.
Looking ahead, he wants to continue as farm manager for the next 2-3 seasons before venturing into contract milking.
Married with two children, Moses’ family connections with the area go back more than five generations.
He previously played rugby for Galatea, winning the Eastern Bay of Plenty second division title three years on the trot.
In recent years, he has followed his son in rugby and rugby league, while also enjoying his long-time passion for pig hunting.
The national final of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, held in Rotorua in May, will be “all new” for Moses.
In the lead-up, he planned to go through feedback received from the Bay of Plenty regional judging panel.
“I want to brush up on any areas I need to work on.”
Moses also plans to talk to Thomas Lundman, who won the 2025 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year title and went on to place second in the same category at the national final.
Reflecting on his own win at the regional level, Moses said he believes a good farm manager has good systems in place.
“When you have days off, you know the farm’s running as if you were there.”
He says a lot of this comes down to sound communication between his employer and staff.
“It’s about being a leader and role model.”