Winners
Ben Purua - Dairy 2024
The winner of the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award for Dairy is Ben Purua, of Tainui descent. Ben, 29, is the Farm Manager at Waimakariri Lands Ltd, near Tirau in the Waikato region which runs 540 cows. Ben Purua thanked his whānau and friends and paid a special tribute to his wife Nikki whom he says has been his greatest supporter and who encouraged him to enter the competition again. He says missing out the first time was hard, but it was a learning curve and he took the opportunity to see where he could improve. “Farming has been my saviour. I don’t know where I would have been today without it. It saved my life, saved my family and I hope I can now help other families to break the cycle,” he says.
Grace Rehu - Horticulture 2023
The winner of the 2023 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower is Grace Rehu, Rangitāne, Taranaki. Grace Rehu, 21, is a Leading Hand for Turners and Growers in Puketapu, Hawke’s Bay. Grace Rehu says being part of the competition was an amazing experience and opportunity, she said she could never have done it without the support of the two other finalists by her side. She admits she was pushed into entering the competition without really knowing what was involved. But Grace says as her participation in the competition evolved, she fell in love with the kaupapa and kept on going.
Chloe Butcher-Herries - Sheep and Beef Winner 2022
The winner of the 2022 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Award for sheep and beef is Chloe Butcher-Herries (Ngāti Mahanga, Waikato-Tainui), an Assistant Farm Manager at Newstead Farms in Puketapu, Napier. The winner Chloe Butcher-Herries says her legs were shaking on the stage waiting for the announcement as she had no idea who might be chosen. She says winning the award is amazing and says her only expectations in entering were to return to her Māori roots and be appreciated for what she was doing on-farm.
Quinn Morgan - Dairy Winner 2021
The winner of the 2021 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award for dairy is Quinn Morgan. Quinn is 26 and this is his first season of farming working as a Farm Assistant for Sam and Kate Moore on their 155ha farm in Otakiri near Whakatane.
Judge Aaron Hunt says Quinn Morgan exemplifies all that is good about young Māori who are making successful careers in the primary sector. He says Quinn has shown great commitment to his work, excellent leadership and will do a great job as a role model for other young Māori contemplating a career in the agribusiness sector.
Maatutaera Akonga - Horticulture Winner 2020
The winner of the inaugural Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award is 26 year old Maatutaera Akonga. Maatutaera is of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungungu descent and is senior leading hand at Llewellyn Horticulture based in Hastings.
Award judge Aaron Hunt from Te Tumu Paeroa says the standard of entrants in this, the inaugural competition for horticulture was very high and also reflects the number of young Māori who are making successful careers in horticulture. Aaron says, “Māori have always been involved in the horticulture sector and in recent years they have been involved in significant new enterprises“. All of the judges considered that Maatutaera had a big future ahead of him.
Kristy Maria Roa - Sheep and Beef Winner 2019
Peter Little says the winner Kristy Roa exemplified all that is good about young Māori who are making successful careers in the primary sector. He says Kristy has shown great commitment to her work, excellent leadership and will do a great job as a role model for other young people contemplating a career in the agribusiness sector.
Harepaora Ngaheu - Dairy Winner 2018
Peter Little says "Harepaora Ngaheu will do a great job as a role model for other young Māori contemplating a career in the agri business sector. They need people like Harepaora who has not had an easy life but through determination and hard work has shown that it is possible to come through adversity and achieve at a high level. It is important that young Māori realise that every day there are new opportunities opening up for them as more land is brought into production and other land improved."
Jordan Biddle - Sheep and Beef Winner 2017
“When I was at school I had little inkling that I’d make farming my career choice. But this occurred when I started working part time on farms when I was just fifteen, doing odd jobs such as fencing. The breakthrough came two years later when I was offered a permanent role at Waitaha Station in northern Hawke’s Bay. Two years later I moved to my present role at Pihanui Station.”
Jack Raharuhi - Dairy Winner 2016
"I got into the wrong crowd as a teenager and I chose the wrong path. I left school and came to work here on the farm which I now manage. Dairy farming got me in line. I had no time to go out and get into trouble. Now I have a fiancée and two children,"
Hannah Wallace - Sheep and Beef Winner 2015
“Winning this competition has given me the confidence to want to achieve my dreams of owning or leasing my own farm. It gave me a real confidence boost and made me realise that, yes us females can be farmers, and yes we are good at what we do because we are right up the with the boys.”
Wiremu Reid - Dairy Winner 2014
2014 Young Māori Dairy Farmer of the Year, Wiremu Reid, has his heart set on owning a farm by age 30 and says winning the competition has been a positive step towards his goal."I'm confident we'll get there. Ultimately we want a run off, or a lease block, with conversion possibilities; but for the short term we would like somewhere to graze our own stock."
Jordan Smith - Sheep and Beef Winner 2013
“It was a really positive experience for me. I would recommend it to anybody because it will help them go further in the industry.”
Tangaroa Walker -Dairy Winner 2012
"I want to be the most successful Māori in the world and I want to motivate young Māori by directing them down the path I have followed to show them that the opportunities are out there if you are willing to sacrifice and put in the hard yards."
