Award will recognise top shepherd

The Hawke’s Bay A&P Society has announced the introduction of a new award to be included in the Napier Port Primary Sector Awards.

The awards, along with the Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year are long established and contribute significantly to the society’s vision of championing the primary industry across Hawke’s Bay.

Sally Jackson, the general manager of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society, revealed that the new award for 2019 is the Rural Directions Shepherd of the Year. She added: “This inaugural award will go to an outstanding individual recognising excellence and contribution to the primary sector. It is open to any fulltime employed shepherd based in Hawke’s Bay and is a fantastic opportunity to reward those working incredibly hard.”

Brent Paterson, director of Rural Directions, is delighted to have the opportunity to support this award as the naming sponsor. He said: “The overall objective of this award, as well as recognising excellence, is to raise the profile of shepherding as a rewarding career option and specifically shepherding in the Hawke’s Bay region. It is important to note today’s shepherds are tomorrow’s managers.”

Danny Angland, Primary Sector Awards Committee member and previous Silver Fern Farms Farmer of the Year winner, is thrilled with the decision to include this category in the current line-up. “We celebrate the leading primary sector businesses and their people and so it is highly appropriate that we have an award that recognises shepherds that have risen to challenges and have excelled on the farm, as they are our future,” he said. Entries for the Rural Directions Shepherd of the Year for Hawke’s Bay are now open, and the winner will be announced at the Field Day for the Silver Fern Farm Farmer of the Year in May.