Beef + Lamb NZ Sheep Industry Awards finalists announced

The finalists have been announced for the third Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Sheep Industry Awards.

About 300 people are expected to attend the awards dinner - which recognise top-performing New Zealand sheep breeders - on 6 August in Napier.

Five industry-related awards will be presented. In addition to the Sheep Industry Trainer of the Year, Individual or Business Making a Significant Contribution to the New Zealand Sheep Industry and the Sheep Industry Innovation Award, two new awards have been added: the Sheep Industry Science Award, recognising a project, business or person undertaking science that is having a positive impact on farming now, and the Sheep Industry Supplier Award, which recognises a farmer supplier nominated by processors for consistently meeting company specifications and other key performance indicators.

Alongside these awards are the highly anticipated genetics-related awards. These which are calculated based on breeders’ performance in SIL-ACE (Advanced Central Evaluation) - the large-scale, across flock and breed genetic evaluation of about 300 ram breeding flocks.

Based purely on genetic merit, awards are presented to the top flocks in six categories: terminal, dual purpose, high performance, dual purpose plus meat, dual purpose plus worm FEC, and dual purpose plus facial eczema.

The 2014 finalists have just been announced. They are:

Blackdale sheep industry supplier of the year

- Dave & Kay Stanley (Rawiri Farm Trust)

- Mark & Rachel, Sam & Karl Zino (Zino Holdings Ltd)

- Horizon Farming Ltd

- Martina & Shaun Lawlor

- Bill & Sue Garland (Rahiri Farm)

Landcorp Wairio (Grant McGhie, Manager)

Focus Genetics sheep industry science award

- Massey University

- Neville Jopson

- Paul Kenyon

PrimaryITO sheep industry trainer of the year

- Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre

- Waipaoa Station Training Trust

Smedley Station and Cadet Training Farm

Farmlands individual or business making a significant contribution to the New Zealand sheep industry

- Leon Black

- Steve Wyn-Harris

- Roger Marshall

Allflex sheep industry innovation award

- Matt & Lynley Wyeth

- Andy Ramsden

- AbacusBio Ltd

Alliance Group gold terminal sire award for lamb growth and meat yield

- Mount Linton Station, Mount Linton Suftex

- Focus Genetics, Kepler Supreme

- Kelso, Kelso Tutu Totara Ranger

Telford gold dual purpose award for reproduction, lamb growth plus adult size and wool production

- Twin Farm, Twin Farm TEFRom

- Nithdale Station, Nithdale Romney

- Blackdale Stud, Blackdale Coopworth

2014 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Sheep Industry Genetic Trait Awards - Finalists

SIL-ACE terminal sire for lamb growth

- A Clifton, Te Kawa Poll Dorset

- Mount Linton Station, Mount Linton Suftex

- Kelso, Kelso Tutu Totara Ranger

SIL-ACE terminal sire for meat yield

- Focus Genetics, Huirimu Supreme

- Focus Genetics, Kepler Supreme

- Focus Genetics, Waikite Texel

SIL-ACE dual purpose for reproduction

- Mount Guardian, Mount Guardian Perendale

- Edward Dinger, MNCC Coopworth

- Nithdale Station, Nithdale Romney

SIL-ACE dual purpose for growth (lamb growth & adult size)

- Blackdale Stud, Blackdale Coopworth

- Ashgrove, Ashgrove Coopworth

- Twin Farm, Twin Farm TEFRom

SIL-ACE dual purpose for internal parasite resistance

- Mike McElrea, Gowan Braes Perendale

- Nithdale Station, Nithdale Romney

SIL-ACE dual purpose for facial eczema tolerance

- Hinenui Genetics, Hinenui Coopworth

- Steve Wyn-Harris, Marlow Coopworth

- Focus Genetics, Waihora Romney

Primary Wool Cooperative dual purpose for wool

- Blackdale Stud, Blackdale Coopworth

- Edward Dinger, MNCC Coopworth

- Emily & Sam Welch & Kate Broadbent, Nikau Coopworth

Progressive Meat dual purpose for meat yield

- Newhaven Farms, Newhaven Perendale

- Mike McElrea, Gowan Braes Perendale

- Twin Farm, Twin Farm TEFRom