Final test for the country’s best young horticulturists …
The six finalists in the 2011 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition have all proved they have the skills and the enthusiasm to play an important part in shaping the future of their sector of New Zealand’s horticulture industry. They now face each other to find the ‘best in show’ at the final of the competition, to be held in Auckland on November 9th & 10th.
The finalists, (all aged under 30 years), are:
Rebekah (Rangi) Green of Waterview, Auckland, representing NZ Recreation Assn – Parkland Amenity Sector.
Jenn Noakes of Mosgiel, representing NZ Arboriculture Assn.
Nick Paulin of Bannockburn, representing NZ Winegrowers.
Michael Scott of Whenuapai, representing the Nursery & Garden Industry Association.
Ben Smith of Pukekohe, representing the Vegetable and Fruit sectors of Horticulture NZ.
Paul Southan of Mt Albert, Auckland,representing Landscaping NZ.
The competition, which has a prize pool of more than $40,000, looks to identify horticulturists willing to take on extra challenges which may initiate future leadership roles. It is managed by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture Education Trust, in conjunction with the partnering sponsors: The Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT), Fruitfed Supplies, Turners & Growers and the NZ Horticulture Industry Training Organisation.
Previous winners have included four viticulturists, a fruit export manager and a tree nursery sales manager.
On day one of the final (Nov 9th) the finalists will present an overview of their AGMARDT Market Innovation Project – a written project which is completed over an eight-week period in the lead up to the competition final. They are also interviewed by the judges - David Sole, Director of Wellington Botanic Gardens; Lesley Slade, a consultant in leadership and management and Errol Hewett, an Emeritus Professor at Massey University.
The final day (Nov 10th) will be a practical one, when the sector finalists will tackle various horticultural-based challenges at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa (8.30am-3.30pm).
The winner will be announced at a dinner at the Rendezvous Hotel, Auckland, on the evening of the 10th.
Finalists of the 2011 competition are:
NZ Recreation Assn/Amenity Horticulture sector finalist Rebekah (Rangi) Green, of Waterview, Auckland, Ph 021 296 6993, 09 267 1457, [email protected]
As an amenity gardener at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, 27-year-old Rangi Green works alongside amenity, asset, nursery and curator teams responsible for the Garden’s 156 acres and more than 10,000 plants.
NZ Arboriculture Assn finalist Jenn Noakes, of Mosgiel, Ph 03 489 4916, Ph 022 074 1583,
Jenn (26) returned to New Zealand in February after working in British Columbia as an arborist, green keeper and fire fighter. She can now found assessing and trimming trees for a Dunedin garden management company.
NZ Winegrowers finalist Nick Paulin, of Bannockburn, Ph 021 176 5633, Ph 03 442 4000, [email protected]
A vineyard manager for Peregrine Wines, 28-year-old Nick is involved with the running of 40 hectares of organically-certified vines for the Gibbston Valley company, which sources produce from Gibbston and Cromwell to produce Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling.
Nursery and Garden Industry Association finalist Michael Scott, of Whenuapai, Auckland, Ph 09 416 8969, Ph 021 110 8975, [email protected]
Twenty-seven-year-old production manager Michael Scott describes his workplace as a “birthing unit”. From baby buxus and bananas, to petite pohutukawa and pittosporums, Michael is responsible for at least 500,000 tiny plants growing at Scott Base Nursery, Whenuapai.
Horticulture NZ finalist Ben Smith, of Pukekohe, Ph 09 238 6713, 021 684 317, [email protected]
As a grower manager for Status Produce at Tuakau, 29-year-old Ben Smith is responsible for a 5½ hectare greenhouse site, growing ranges of speciality tomatoes for supermarkets, food service companies and for export.
Landscaping New Zealand finalist Paul Southan, of Mt Albert, Ph 021 811818, Ph 021 063 7399, [email protected]
Paul Southan originally set his sights on architecture as a career, but the practical side of construction work increasing appealed. Now 24-year-old Paul is a foreman at Humphrey Landscaping working on prestige Auckland properties.
For further information and pix: Contact Elenka Nikoloff, Co-ordinator Young Horticulturist of the Year, Ph 09 636 5922, 0276 332 858, [email protected] Or Debra Douglas, Chaucer Partnership, Ph 09 422 9561, 0211 856 846 [email protected]
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