Joshua Irving Wins 2026 North Canterbury Young Viticulturist

Having competed for the first time last year, Irving was back with a vengeance, taking out nearly all the sections.

“I learnt where my weaknesses were last year and worked hard to upskill in those areas”, he says, delighted that the practice and study had paid off.

Building a Strong Career in Viticulture

The 28-year-old is soon to graduate with a Bachelor of Viticulture & Oenology (Honours) from Lincoln University and has worked on various Waipara vineyards.

He has also worked as a Viticultural Technician on the Bragato Research Institute’s 2.0 Sauvignon Blanc vineyard.

Strong Competition from Emerging Talent

The competition also showcased several other talented young viticulturists.

Mackenzie Cassidy from Pegasus Bay secured second place after performing consistently across all categories.

Grace Moore from Tiki Wines and Athena Marchussen from Greystone also competed strongly throughout the day.

All four contestants threw themselves into the day, highlighting their ambition to progress their careers in viticulture.

Contestants Faced a Variety of Technical Challenges

It was the perfect winter’s day, crisp but sunny, as the contestants worked their way around the challenges at Tiki Vineyards near Amberley. The four young viticulturists completed tasks on irrigation, machinery, nutrition, wine knowledge and data analysis, as well as undertaking an interview.

At lunchtime, they went head-to-head in the Ecotrellis trellising section and the BioStart Hortisports before some very welcome hot soup and a BBQ provided by Fruitfed Supplies. Joshua took out both these sections, demonstrating his practical skills as well as theoretical knowledge, including the Syngenta Biologicals Nutrition prize.

Grace Moore won the Ormond Nurseries Professional Reputation Award and was recognised for her friendly, positive attitude, as well as showing excellent communication skills in the build-up to the competition.

National Final Set for Wairarapa in August

Irving will now go through to the National Final to compete against the winners from the Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, North Island Regional and Central Otago competitions.

The National Final will be held at Escarpment, Wairarapa, on Wednesday, 26 August, and the 2026 Ormond Nurseries New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year will be announced at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Celebration Dinner at Takina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Wellington, on 27 August.

From this regional competition, Joshua won a Fruitfed Supplies Field Trip plus $1,000 and will compete for even greater prizes at the National Final. These include a $6,000 Ecotrellis Travel Grant, a Leadership Week, and tickets to Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027 and the 2027 Organic Winegrowers Conference.

As well as cash, Mackenzie also won an educational trip from The New Zealand Society for Viticulture and Oenology (NZSVO).

The competition is made possible thanks to the following generous national sponsors: Ormond Nurseries, BioStart, Ecotrellis, Syngenta Biologicals, Fruitfed Supplies, Constellation Brands, Empak, Fendt, Indevin, Klima, Lowe, Waterforce, NZSVO, and New Zealand Winegrowers, as well as all the supportive regional sponsors.