Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones were named the region’s Share Farmer of the Year, with Sam Cooper winning the Dairy Manager of the Year title, and Conor Attrill being named Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Share Farmers of the Year Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones won an impressive seven merit awards, along with a total prize package of $8,100.
The couple, both 41, are 50/50 sharemilking 200 cows for Michelle and Duncan Brown on 80ha at Woodville.
“We love working with our animals and seeing the great results that can be achieved through our efforts. We are driven by accomplishing our goals, and we take great pride in what we do.”
Parents of four children, the couple are driven to excel in their farm business and they take great pride in their cows.
They also enjoy encouraging the next generation into farming and work closely with the local school to give other children the opportunity to take calves from their herd to Calf Club.
Judges commented that it is evident Tony and Rachel have a strong commitment to their community, farm owners and relief staff.
“The mahi they are doing to reduce the urban-rural divide and encourage young people to get involved with rearing calves, showing them both locally and in district competitions is encouraging to see.”
Entering the Dairy Industry Awards has opened up opportunities and given them a lens to look at their business in a new light and make improvements.
The couple’s next goal is to buy land to rear extra calves or look for an equity partnership opportunity.
Runner-up in the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmer of the Year category, Anna and Damian Hopkins, won $4,210 in prizes along with two merit awards.
The couple are sharemilking 152 cows on 61ha for Fraser Donald in Featherston.
Damian, 42, and Anna, 36, have worked their way up through the industry and are proud to now own their own herd.
They have four children, aged 21, 15, 12 and 6, and work hard to balance farm life with spending quality time with their family.
Their goal is to secure a larger sharemilking position and purchase their own farm within the next 10 years.
“Dairy farming has a clear progression, and we have always wanted to own our own farm. The animals and our family drive us to be the best we can be.”
Judges commended Anna and Damian on the pride they take in their farm and their relationships.
“They work together as a team, supporting each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and their relationship with their farm owner reflects what the New Zealand dairy industry is all about.”
The winner of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year title, Sam Cooper, enjoys the multiple skills and variety that a farming career brings.
“I enjoy the vast array of skills I need to run a farm and help run a business. Some days I’m a fencer, some days I’m a stockman, some days a plumber, some days a digger driver, and some days I even spend time in the office trying to figure out Excel.”
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Dairy Manager of the Year Sam Cooper |
The 32-year-old grew up on a dairy farm and is now farm manager for his parents, Eliot and Mary Cooper, on a 196ha, 530-cow farm at Pahiatua.
“We are a tight-knit family, milking 1200 cows over three cowsheds in the Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay, with my sister and father running the other farm and my mother being a weapon in administration. We make a great team and work well together.”
Sam travelled and worked in Australia and milked cows in Scotland and the South Island before returning to the Hawke’s Bay when the family had an opportunity to purchase a second property.
Working out on the farm is definitely Sam’s happy place.
“I just really enjoy being out there and doing it. The cows get me out of bed every morning. I know they rely on me to milk them, so I show up for them every day and they show up for me.”
Sam won $6,200 in prizes and five merit awards.
Runner-up in the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager category, Micah Wratt has climbed the ladder quickly to manage a 500-cow herd for Paul and Andrew Harvey in Greytown.
The 21-year-old moved from the city, gave relief milking a crack and never looked back.
“I love working with cows. It’s like having 500 pets I get to look after. I enjoy the variety of the job, being outside every day, and that no two seasons are ever the same.
“I feel like being offered my role as farm manager in my third season of farming was a key success for me. I have a boss who really believes in me and challenges me every day in my role.”
Micah entered the Dairy Industry Awards for the first time this year because she saw it as an opportunity to put herself out there and learn more about the farm in the process.
She won a merit award and took home $3,050 in prizes.
Conor Attrill is the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year, taking home a prize package of $5,900 plus three merit awards.
Being stuck at home on the family farm during COVID lockdown, away from boarding school, cemented Conor’s passion for dairying.
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Dairy Trainee of the Year Conor Attrill. |
“I realised how deeply connected I was to farming and how special the farming lifestyle truly is.”
After school, he studied for a Bachelor of Agribusiness, majoring in farm management at Massey University, and then worked for two years in Canterbury as part of the Grassroots Graduate Dairy Farming Programme.
Conor moved to Hawke’s Bay and is working as 2IC for Greg and Gail Mitchell at Patoka, milking 845 cows on 341ha.
The 23-year-old entered the Dairy Industry Awards to further develop his skills and knowledge and expand his network.
Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category is Johanna Wessels, who won a prize package of $1,250.
The 18-year-old is a farm assistant for Hank and Tash Van Den Bosch on 173ha in Carterton, milking 450 cows.
Having a great team around you makes the hard mahi easier, she says.
“We have a good team on our farm, which makes a huge difference. We support each other, can always have a laugh, and get through the long, hard days together.”
Third place in the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee category went to Lucas Wilson Taopua, who won $1250 and one merit award.
Lucas, 29, switched a trade job for farming after Cyclone Gabrielle hit and he was stranded from his family for days. He decided to move closer to home and secured a job on a dairy farm.
“I love the lifestyle of farming, working for my keep, bringing home food for the family, and raising my kids in an environment that feels simple and grounded.”
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors ASB, CowManager, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Honda, LIC, Power Farming and Trelleborg, along with industry partners Fonterra, DairyNZ and The Country.
Results of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards:
2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmer of the Year
Winner - Tony Hudson & Rachel Jones
Runner Up - Anna & Damian Hopkins
2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner - Sam Cooper
Runner Up - Micah Wratt
2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner - Conor Attrill
Runner Up - Johanna Wessels
Third - Lucas Wilson Taopua
