Celebrating Breeders' Day 2023 Awards
This years event was held once again at Claudelands Events Centre, Hamilton.
2023 SPS Farmer of the Year - National Award
Winner: Settlers Inn Trust David & Catherine Smith. Award presented by Ann Scott - Sire Proving Scheme Manager (2nd from Right).
Bull Farm Favourite 2022
Winner: Rob & Alison Thwaites (centre) with 321008 Glanton Flynn Brisbane. Award presented by David Chin - CEO (L) and Murray King - Chairman (R).
Highest Premier Sire Inseminations 2022 - Friesian
Winner: Robert (centre) & Annemarie Bruin with 117068 Meander SB Arrow-ET S2F. Award presented by David Chin - CEO (L) and Murray King - Chairman (R).
Highest Premier Sire Inseminations 2022 - KiwiCross
Winner: Michelle & Martyn Diggelman with 518019 Diggs Hardcopy. Award presented by David Chin - CEO (L) and Murray King - Chairman (R), received by Taylor Connell (LIC) on behalf of.
Highest Premier Sire Inseminations 2022 - Jersey
Winner: Murray & Janet Gibb with 318009 Tironui Superman ET. Award presented by David Chin - CEO (L) and Murray King - Chairman (R), received by Lyna Beehre on behalf of.
Graduate of the Year 2022
Winner: Stu & Sarah Gordon with 519034 Gordons Flash-Gordon. Award presented by Murray King - Chairman (L).
In July scores of New Zealand’s best breeders of pastoral dairy genetics came together to celebrate inclusion of their progeny in one of LIC’s numerous Premier Sires teams of 2021.
During the day, invited guests saw a parade of a selection of New Zealand’s finest dairy sires at the Newstead bull farm near Hamilton.
Later that night, the breeders attended a formal dinner, where LIC management acknowledged the contribution breeders were making to the progression of the New Zealand dairy cow (in terms of both sustainable increased production per cow and enhanced cow efficiency).
Since joining the Sire Proving Scheme nine years ago, Masterton farmer Jason Christensen has almost doubled his herd’s Breeding and Production Worth, simultaneously increasing the farm’s cow numbers from 260 to 380 cows.
This was a major factor in LIC awarding Jason (supported by partner Sandra Burles) the SPS National Farmer of the Year title for 2022.
The couple, along with Jason’s parents Henry and Dorothy, who also have a long association with SPS, were formally recognised with the accolade.
2022 Breeders, SPS Farmers across New Zealand
