HBHS Old Boy 2012 NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year
The 2012 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year, HBHS Old Boy Nathan Christian, aged 22, is an outstanding young man who is focused and determined to achieve dairy farm ownership, says head judge Don Seath.
Mr Christian has a Bachelor of Commerce in Agriculture from Lincoln University and has competed in the Coast to Coast multisport event. He has a goal of farm ownership by 2020.
“I would have a high level of confidence in the fact that he will achieve the goals he has set himself in the future. He is a very mature balanced person who works hard and manages to achieve activities off the farm as well,” Mr Seath says.
“The trainee competition is gaining traction and I believe the trainees coming into the competition are better prepared than in the past – certainly they are receiving some good schooling from their supporters and advisors.”
Canterbury won the trifecta at the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, with its regional representatives winning all three titles.
It is the first time one region has claimed all three titles. Enda and Sarah Hawe won the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Mick O’Connor won the New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and Nathan Christian won the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The winners were announced at Auckland’s Sky City Hotel in front of 680 people last night.
“It is quite a feature and it has blown us away really to have the three winners from the same region. It also underlines the strength and powerhouse the Canterbury region has become in terms of dairy farming, and the opportunities that creates for young people to progress their dairy farming careers,” national convenor Chris Keeping says.
In another twist both the Hawes and Mr Christian are employed by the same Ashburton farming family, Richard, Jan, Ben and Shannon Johnson.
NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year:
1st – Nathan Christian, Canterbury/North Otago, winning $7500 in prizes
2nd – Robert Ankerson, Southland, $3000 in prizes
3rd – Michael Shearer, West Coast/Top of the South, $2000 in prizes.