Mahia's high-flying engineer
Onenui Station on Mahia Peninsula in northern Hawke's Bay is a world first in more ways than one.
Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust which runs a state-of-the-art bull fattening farm near the rural east coast settlement of Whngaruru was named the winner of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Maori sheep and beef farm. At the same event, Coby Warmington from Waima in the Hokianga was named the top young Maori sheep and beef farmer for 2025.
The announcement of the main Ahuwhenua trophy was made by the Minister for Maori Development, Tama Potaka, at an awards ceremony in Palmerston North before an audience of over 800 people. Potaka was joined by other special guests - Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg, the Maori Queen, a large group of overseas diplomats, local politicians and industry leaders and government officials.
The competition has now been running for 92 years and was inaugurated by Sir Apirana Ngata and the Governor General at the time, Lord Bledisloe, with the objective of encouraging Maori to improve their land and overall farming performance. The other finalist in the 2025 competition was the Proprietors of Tawapata South, Onenui Station, from Mahia in northern Hawke's Bay.
There was an outpouring of pride and delight when Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust were announced as the winners, and whanau gathered on stage to be presented with the prestigious trophy by Minister Potaka.
Morris Pita, co-chair of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust said just after the announcement his first impression was one of pride for the whanau of the trust. He said they are just starting to appreciate the size of the shoes that come with this recognition and only hope that they can do them justice. He said that Northland is a unique and special part of Aotearoa and to be able to represent the people of Te Tai Tokerau in this environment as part of this historic event is a privilege.
Huhana Lyndon, co-chair of Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust said she was shocked, excited and overwhelmed at winning the trophy. She said they were quietly doing their own thing out on the coast and saw entering the competition as a learning experience and never thought they were going to win it.
Nukuhia Hadfield, chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee says 2025 saw two great finalist compete for the Ahuwhenua Trophy.
Both ran excellent field days in the run-up to the awards dinner and the nearly 500 people who attended them would have seen Maori agriculture at its very best in Aotearoa.
Positive Vibes
Minister for Maori Development, Tama Potaka described the awards as a fantastic night to celebration of Maori excellence in farming. He says for Maori, farming is a way of life and not just about making money.
Potaka says while many people may be aware that Maori own farms, orchards and forests, they often don't realise how committed they are intergenerationally. He noted that Maori farmers contribute more than $2 billion to export growth.
Potaka says he grew up on a sheep and beef farm at Rata just south of Taihape and says he knows the importance of land - not only because it defines Maori identity, but also because it provides a platform for economic growth and development and job opportunities for young Maori.
Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg says she's never seen such a huge crowd come to a farming event. She says it was a real eye opener to see the quality of the calibre of the farmers and farms that Maori operate.
"It was very positive especially given where agriculture has been for the last six years or so. What has happened in this room defies all of that and I haven't felt any of that negativity that we have seen across the agriculture economy," she says.
Grigg, who has special responsibility for horticulture, says Ahuwhenua Trophy competition being for horticulture and the awards dinner being held in Whangarei will be a great opportunity to showcase Northland. She says horticulture is the fastest growing sector within the Maori farming economy and that trusts are investing heavily in the sector right across the value chain.
Northland MP, Grant McCallum, who was at the awards, says it was a great night for Northland which is so often on the wrong side of the headlines.
"A night like this is unbelievable and shows the potential of our people and as the local MP I couldn't be prouder," he says.
McCallum says he hopes the fact that Northland people have won these awards will show others the potential of the region and instil in them some positiveness instead of talking Northland down.
