Young winemakers
2015 saw the first ever Young Winemaker of the Year competition held in New Zealand.
The Auckland forum was established to provide an opportunity for the Young Horticulturists to develop their understanding of the industry and round out their knowledge beyond their sector specialty.
The two days featured presentations from sponsors Bayer, Fruitfed Supplies, Turners and Growers, ANZ and NZ Horticulture ITO. Presentation topics were selected to meet the forum's theme of equipping future leaders for the challenges and aspirations of a sustainable and vibrant horticultural industry.
Bayer's country manager Holger Detje opened the first day of the forum by confirming the company's responsibility to foster talent in the industry. "It's not only educational support that we provide, but also networking and building connections with ourselves and other industry bodies," he says. "Through this we are supporting the young horticulturists so they can identify a clear career path for the future, which will ultimately benefit the horticulture industry in general."
2012 Young Horticulturist of the Year winner Braden Crosby and AGMARDT project winner Andrew Scott were among the finalists who attended the forum. Rangi Green (2011 finalist) and Paul Southern (2011 finalist) joined 2012 competitors Daniel Chong, Annika Horgan, Andrew Rae, and Karl Noldan.
Braden found Fruitfed Supplies' presentations which covered their crop monitoring services as well as their investment in research were relevant to his work in the wine industry. As part of his prize package, Braden is travelling to Europe later this year to study the vineyards of France, Germany and Italy.
The second day of the forum opened with an overview of Turners and Growers by national domestic manager, Colin Lyford, followed by an introduction to leadership hosted by ANZ. The leadership session included personal business planning and writing, goal setting, and successful networking skills. On completion of the six-hour leadership session, each attendee has been offered ongoing mentoring support by ANZ regional business managers.
"Through the two days of presentations the attendees gained so much valuable knowledge to build their understanding of horticultural suppliers and the influences in the horticulture industry. The input from each of the sponsoring companies was truly appreciated, and attendees thoroughly enjoyed this experience," said programme manager Elenka Nikoloff.
The 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year competition takes place November 13-14. Managed by the RNZIH Education Trust, it is committed to developing finalists' skills and knowledge to enhance their career opportunities in the horticulture industry.
