Ahuwhenua Trophy winner announced

MEDIA RELEASE - 30 May 2015

The winner of the 2015 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award for sheep and beef is Mangaroa Station owned by Barton and Nukuhia Hadfield. The couple farm in the Ruakituri Valley, about an hour’s drive north west of Wairoa on the East Coast of the North Island.

The announcement was made tonight by the Minister for Primary Industries, Hon Nathan Guy at a special function in Whanganui attended by 650 people including the Minister for Māori Development, Hon Te Ururoa Flavell, the Māori King Tuheitia, and other dignitaries, politicians and leading agribusiness people from throughout New Zealand.

The Ahuwhenua Trophy was presented to Bart and Nukuhia Hadfield by Minister Flavell. The couple were also presented with a special medal by Shelley Ruha representing the Bank of New Zealand, the competitions major sponsor.

The Hadfields were chosen from two other finalists, Paua Station owned by Paerengarenga Incorporation based at Te Kao in the Far North and Maranga Station owned by Marty and Janice Charteris who farm at Tiniroto, southwest of Gisborne.

Mangaroa station consists of 1,506 ha (1,250 effective) rising to 620m at its highest point on which Barton and Nukuhia Hadfield run 6,200 Romney Perendale ewes, 2,000 replacement ewe lambs and 70 rams. They also run 500 Angus breeding cows and 400 heifers.

The presentation of the Ahuwhenua Trophy comes at the end of more than four months of assessing the applications, selecting and announcing the three finalists at a function at parliament and each of them holding a field day on their respective properties. The field days were open to the public but were also part of  the judging process.

The winners, Bart and Nukuhia Hadfield received various prizes to the value of $40,000 while they and the other finalists received prizes to the value of $20,000.

John Janssen, Head of Agribusiness for the Bank of New Zealand, the principal sponsor for the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, says the  standard of this years finalists was outstanding. He says this shows that Māori agribusiness has come of age and that some Māori farmers feature among the best farmers in the country.

“What we have seen with our long term involvement with the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition is a raising of the bar in terms of the  performance of the farms from the trusts, incorporations and  individuals entering this event. They are answering the call of Sir Apirana Ngata and Lord Bledisloe to lift their game for the benefit of themselves and Aotearoa Inc. We at the BNZ are proud to support this prestigious competition value the special relationship it has helped us develop with Māori,” he says.
John Janssen congratulates the winners and also the other finalists all of whom are outstanding agribusiness role models.

For further information contact Peter Burke 021 224 2184.

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Our thanks to our valued sponsors: BNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Ministry for Primary Industries, Te Puni Kōkiri,  Te Tumu Paeroa, Primary ITO, AgResearch, PGG Wrightson, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Federation of Māori Authorities, AFFCO, Allflex, BDO, Polaris, Landcorp, Mata Craft Beer Aotearoa Breweries and Tohu Wines.