New Broom
OPINION: The old saying 'a new broom sweeps clean' doesn't always hold up, if you ask the Hound.
Out of more than 80,000 entries, Daniel Neil from Piopio has been announced as the lucky winner of the Isuzu D-MAX LX Double Cab 4WD Ute in this year’s Fieldays Ute giveaway.
The prize package, valued at over $63,990, includes on-road costs, 12 months of registration, a full tank of fuel, and a comprehensive 3-year/100,000km warranty.
Daniel’s initial reaction to winning the ute was one of disbelief, thinking it was a joke when he received the call from New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive, Peter Nation.
“When I told my wife Gina, she thought I was having her on! The kids were excited but not sure whether to believe it or not,” Daniel shared.
Daniel and Gina milk 430 Friesian cross cows on a leased 240ha dairy farm, with an additional 120ha leased for dairy support and beef.
“The Isuzu will definitely be put through its paces with farm life. There’s always something to tow or pick up and plenty of hills on the farm to climb. Whether it’s kids or animals, there’s always something to run around after. I’m also looking forward to trying out its towing capabilities with the caravan.”
Daniel, who was raised on a farm in Taranaki, has been a regular at Fieldays for over a decade. He came to the 2024 event for the day with his brother and two local farming mates.
“I go to Fieldays for a day off the farm,” Daniel said. “It’s interesting to see what innovation, technology, and equipment is out there and what could work for us in our farming operation. It’s also a chance to catch up with our rural providers, like the bank.”
Ross Sommerville, general manager of Isuzu Utes New Zealand, expressed his support for Daniel’s win. “The D-MAX is built tough and has the specs to handle farm life with ease. Whether taking care of day-today tasks or the gruntier jobs, it’s up to the challenge.”
For Tararua District dairy farmer Lisa Lyons, ongoing professional development has always gone hand-in-hand with life on the farm, but a major health challenge prompted her to take her study journey even further.
New import standards could put New Zealand’s blueberry industry and the wider horticulture industry at risk.
The Sustainable Vegetable Systems (SVS) Project has been named a finalist in the Technology & Innovation Project Award at the Primary Industries New Zealand (PINZ) Awards.
Amber Davy has won the 2026 Canterbury Young Grower regional title.
Carey Pawson-Edwards, a South Canterbury stock manager, has been named the winner of the 2026 Rabobank Management Project Award.
Nominations are now open for two directorships on the Ravensdown Board and will close at 5pm, Friday 24 July 2026.

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