Two female finalists win top three awards in Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.

Wanganui garden centre assistant Kelly Jean Kerr wins 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year and second place getter Wellington collections specialist Eliza Whalley also wins the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project.

After two gruelling days of competition, the winner of the Young Horticulturist of the Year was announced at a gala awards ceremony in Auckland on Thursday November 14. Representing Nursery and Garden Industry Association, Kelly Jean Kerr is the 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year, taking home $7,500 of travel to view horticulture internationally as well as other prizes gifted by sponsors.

Kelly returned to the stage again to receive the Turners & Growers Best Practical Activities Award of $3,500 scholarship. Kelly spoke about the importance of ‘green life’ and she encouraged all sectors to work together to bring about plant life balance through more green spaces, plants, and flowers which in turn will help grow and support a national target of a horticultural industry worth $10 billion by 2020.

Turner’s & Grower’s CEO Alastair Hulbert said: “the people who come through the Young Horticulturist of the Year are the foundation of the industry. This competition showcases horticulture as a genuine career, rather than just a job, it’s a career for a lifetime.”

Second place getter Eliza Whalley won the $5,500 Massey University study scholarship, $2,000 Primary ITO professional development scholarship, and other prizes gifted by sponsors.

This is the first time in the nine years of the competition that women have taken first and second place in the Young Horticulturist of the Year, as well as first prize in the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project.

Innovative backpack sprayer design wins judge’s vote.

Eliza was called back to the stage three times; her innovative design of a backpack sprayer specifically for women won the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project. Judges commented that Eliza’s design was well researched, an excellent example of using networks, and that the concept deserves to be highly successful.

Representing NZ Wine growers, Matthew Fox took second place in the AGMARDT Market Innovation project, with his plan to utilise wine industry waste for compost.  Malcolm Nitschke, GM AGMARDT said that they see huge commercial success for Matthew’s innovation. He added, “the future of the horticulture industry will be influenced by the young emerging talent in this competition and the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project is an initiative that recognises and supports the development of this talent.”

Kelly Jean continued her evening’s success taking third place in the AGMARDT Market Innovation Project with her ‘Go gardening’ app for novice gardeners. 

Eliza Whalley was also awarded Bayer’s Best Practice Award and Fruitfed Supplies Leadership Award.

Max Spence, National Manager of Fruitfed Supplies noted that
“as these young leaders move around this industry they share their knowledge, and their skill sets further advance what can be delivered in horticulture production.”

The Young Horticulturist of the Year competition is made possible through the generous support of:  AGMARDT, Fruitfed Supplies, Turners and Growers, Bayer, Massey University, Primary ITO, NZ Gardener, On Gas, NZ Winegrowers

For more information please contact Elenka Nikoloff, RNZIH Trust: [email protected]. Mobile  0276 332858.

Visit www.younghort.co.nz

Photography: Mike Breen Photography

*photo of winner of AGMARDT Market Innovation Prize Eliza Whalley