PAX LEETCH - Federated Farmers Meat and Wool chairperson
Recently I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the Collingwood Area School (CAS) senior prizegiving ceremony, to present the Golden Bay Federated Farmers (GBFF) Agriculture Award. We are very proud to sponsor this award and have, since 2017, presented a trophy and a prize to the recipient.
This year’s winner was Year 11 student Zack Riordan, who was born and bred in the Aorere Valley, and has done all his schooling at CAS. He has a love of farming and says he enjoys fencing the most.
This past year Zack was involved in the inaugural Papa Taiao Mohua Future Farming course in Golden Bay. This course offers students the opportunity to head, as a group, out of the classroom for one day a week of on-site practical learning. Topics included beekeeping, fencing, soil health, tractor operation and livestock farming.
Zack really enjoyed the course. He is working full time on a farm this summer and then plans to return to CAS for Year 12 and take the Papa Taiao course again.
Federated Farmers is proud to be recognizing and supporting young people in agriculture in New Zealand, and the past nine years of sponsoring this award at CAS has been a pleasure and a privilege.
We wish Zack all the best with his next year at CAS and his life’s journey.
TYLER LANGFORD - Federated Farmers Dairy Chairperson
At the Golden Bay High School prizegiving recently, Year 11 student Paige Baigent was honoured with the prestigious GBFF Agricultural Award, acknowledging her outstanding commitment to agricultural learning throughout the year. Paige, too, had participated in the hands-on Papa Taiao initiative.
As the only girl in the programme, Paige quickly distinguished herself through determination, problem-solving abilities, and a collaborative approach. Her enthusiasm for agriculture was evident in every task she completed, from farm maintenance to environmental responsibilities. Representatives from Federated Farmers noted that supporting young people entering the primary industries is a key priority, making Paige’s achievement particularly significant. Paige says the award reflects her connection with rural life.
“I love being outside and spending time with animals, I like the business of the shearing shed and I enjoy watching dogs muster sheep.”
Looking ahead, Paige’s future remains wide open. She loves the farm but is also keen to explore her other interests, although agriculture is something she’d definitely consider pursuing in the future.
Her success stands as an inspiring example for other young people considering pathways in agriculture.
