Earlier this year, we announced our participation as sponsor for a brand new Marlborough farming competition, that was to recognise the success of sheep and beef farmers in Marlborough. We have been delighted to support the region’s Farmer of the Year competition, and last week we were even more delighted to host an event that announced the winners of the competition.
Awatere Valley merino and cattle farmers, Simon, Lynda and Tom Harvey, are the winners of the Westpac Bayleys Marlborough Sheep & Beef Farmer of the Year competition.
Second place went to Ward farmers Fraser and Shelley Avery, in partnership with Doug and Wendy Avery, Bonavaree.
Third place was awarded to Havelock farmers Paul and Muff Newton, Kaituna Ridges, and fourth place to Clarence brothers George and Ben Murray, with parents John and Robyn, Woodbank.
The winning entrants share $70,000 of prize money and goods and services donated by national and local businesses, including ourselves and Westpac.
Chris Dawkins, Chairman of the competition, said the Harvey’s Merino and cattle breeding and finishing operations were very strong in the financial performance and production categories.
“They scored really well across the quadruple bottom line which includes finances, production, land resource management and social and governance.”
The Harvey family farm 6000 stock units of Merino ewes and Angus-cross cattle on high country. Stand out achievements include an extremely high reproductive performance for merinos giving financial rewards from both lamb and wool. Achievements include a 168% ewe pregnancy scanning.
If you want to find out more about the winner’s success, head along to a public field day, it’s going to be held at the Harvey’s property Glen Orkney, in February.
