Hort Fert Plus Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition

The following article was reproduced with permission from Rural Delivery

Saturday, December 03, 2005 - Rural Delivery

We visited the inaugural Hort Fert Plus Young Horticulturist of the Year event, which takes its inspiration from the Young Farmer of the Year Contest. The event is staged by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture and backed by a number of sponsors. First prize in the competition is travel and products to the value of over $18000, second prize $4000 and third prize $1000.

The practical activities began at 8.30am at the Manurewa Botanic Gardens. The outdoor practical activities concluded in the morning with the Horti Sport event in the Ellerslie Flower Show grounds. During the afternoon the finalists were interviewed by the three main judges and then they worked on a computer based practical activity. The dinner event at the Ellerslie Convention Centre began at 6.30pm. The finalists carried out their final challenge from 8.30pm with a three-minute speech and then a series of quick fire questions. The winner was announced at the awards ceremony with Dean Astill announced in 1st place.

Contestants profiles

Paul Jameson, aged 27, of Nelson.

Sector Finalist for the Nursery and Garden Industry Association, NGIA.

Paul was runner up for the Nursery and Garden Industry Caraan Young Achiever 2005. Paul is an Ornamental Manager for Waimea Nurseries. He is also a member of the IPPS, International Plant Propagators Society, and regularly attends Tree Crop field trips through Waimea Nurseries membership. His responsibilities include:-

• management of 45,000 ornamental trees in the open ground
• pest and disease control
• irrigation systems
• design and maintenance of specialist equipment
• budding and grafting of Waimea Nurseries'off the orchard tree crops
• supervision of staff within the off the orchard areas of the nursery.

Paul has NZ Certificate in Science, Level 4 Nelson Polytechnic and NZ Certificate in Horticulture, Nursery Production, NZ Horticulture Training Organisation.

Niki Taylor, aged 27, from Pukekohe.

Sector finalist for The NZ Recreation Association.

Niki is teaching full time students who are working towards the certificate in horticulture as well as teaching the NZ Hort ITO apprentices based in the Auckland area at the Manukau Institute of Technology in the School of Horticulture.

Her responsibilities include teaching theory in a classroom environment as well as teaching practical based activities in the onsite nursery at the Manukau Institute of Technology.

Niki has Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture, Northland Polytech, a Bachelor of Horticultural Science with Honours from Lincoln University, NZQA Certificate in Amenity Horticulture Level 4, NZQA Certificate in Nursery Production Level 4.

Dean Astill, aged 27, from Hastings

Sector finalist for the Fruitgrowers Federation pilot scheme run in the Waikato and Hawkes Bay areas.

Dean is manager of a stone and pipfruit orchard for Fresh New Zealand (formerly Graham and Associates). His responsibilities include production of fruit, as well as a field rep which involves technical advisory work Involvement with the local market sales and export of apples, contact with shipping, marketing and sales, involvement with the Hort Advisory Board and the Horticultural Trainees Association, HITA.

Dean has a National Certificate in Horticulture Level 4, Growsafe and Approved Handler Certificate, and Mechanical Engineering Certificate ( International).

Tyron Vakapuna, aged 27, of Palmerston North.

Sector finalist for the Arboriculture Association.

Tyron is a arboriculturist for Guardian Tree Services, doing tree work for contractors as well as for councils in the local area. He has a UCOL certificate in Horticulture and NZHITO Modern apprenticeship in Arboriculture.

Cameron McLean, aged 24, from Christchurch

Sector finalist for the Landscaping Association, LIANZ.

Cameron works for Morgan and Pollard Landscapes in Christchurch, where is responsibilities include on site supervisory responsibilities, and hard landscaping skills, i.e. paving, walls, structures.

Cameron has a National Certificate in Horticulture and is currently completing an apprenticeship.

Judges for the event were:

Jack Hobbs, Curator of the Manurewa Botanic Gardens
Jack is Curator Manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, home of the Ellerslie Flower Show. He is also currently President of the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture. Since the inception of the Ellerslie Flower Show Jack has been regularly involved as a judge, lecturer and co-presenter of television specials on the Flower Show that have been produced by the team at Maggies Garden Show.

Ian Warrington, Professor of the Horticulture Department and vice chancellor of Massey University, Palmerston North

Lesley Slade, CEO of Leadership New Zealand
Leadership New Zealand is a new organization, established to identify and nurture our future leaders from across every sector of the community - private, public and not for profit.

http://www.ruraldelivery.net.nz/

Top of page