Amelia Marsden Wins Nelson Young Grower Title for Second Consecutive Year

The nursery manager at Thomas Brothers Orchard in Riwaka pitched her skills against three other contestants to take the 2026 title on 19 June.

She will now go on to compete against six other regional winners in the national Young Grower of the Year competition in Cromwell on August 27-28. She took third place in the 2025 national final.

Diverse Career Path Leads to Success

Aged 30, Marsden grew up on a dairy farm on the West Coast of the South Island before earning a Bachelor of Agriculture from Lincoln University and beginning her professional career in the dairy sector.

After moving to Nelson, she joined Willisbrook Orchards as an apple supervisor, then broadened her industry experience working with Ballance before returning to Willisbrook as kiwifruit manager.

She joined Thomas Brothers three weeks ago.

“It’s been a big month,” Marsden says.

“I felt more pressure going into the regional final, having won last year but it was a great day, we had beautiful weather. My fellow contestants were all of a very high calibre and there was a really good atmosphere."

“Thomas Brothers has a history of people getting to the national Young Grower final, so hopefully that will help my preparations for the national event.”

Promoting Horticulture Careers

Marsden says the Young Grower competitions are an important part of the industry's drive to promote career opportunities in the horticulture sector to young people.

“The competition challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone and identify opportunities to further develop your knowledge and skills.

“Horticulture is a great industry to be part of. There are a multitude of opportunities to have a great career in the industry and different areas to grow your career in. It isn’t just about being a grower, there are so many different facets and offshoots, from scientists to researchers and technology. If you are interested, I’d say get in touch with a grower or an orchard and ask to have a look around.”

Optimistic About the Future

Marsden says she is optimistic for the sector's future.

“There are challenges - labour is a big challenge, getting the right people when you need them and it’s really important to be finding people that want to learn and progress in the industry and take advantage of the development opportunities that are available.

“Climate change is also a challenge, with changing weather patterns that bring cyclones, and the floods we have had here.

“However, it is an opportunity because it opens up the possibility of horticulture in new areas and producing new flavour profiles because you can now grow things in areas where they didn’t used to grow.

“I feel the industry is going from strength to strength and it is awesome to be part of that. At a time when food security is such a massive issue globally, it feels really good to be helping to produce some of the healthiest food out there,  which is exported to consumers around the world.”

Celebrating Young Talent

Runner up was Samuel Lee, orchard manager at Cherry Bank Orchard in Blenheim. Third place went to Olivia Richardson, orchards operations data analyst for MCL Fruit/McLean Orchards in Motueka.

The competition celebrates the success of young people in the industry as well as encouraging others to consider a career in horticulture.

Regional organisers host and run the regional competitions independently, with Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) hosting the final in a different part of the country each year.

Entry is open to both commercial fruit and vegetable growers from across the regions, up to the age of 30.

HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott said the competitions are a highlight of the year for growers and do much to raise awareness of the high level of skill of young people in the industry and the many career opportunities it offers.

“The regional organisers put in a huge amount of their time, expertise and energy to make the Young Grower regional competitions happen. The competition simply wouldn’t happen without them.

“They do it to recognise and celebrate the very high calibre of young people we have working in the industry and to demonstrate to others the many pathways horticulture offers into a wide range of interesting and rewarding careers.”