The chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy says this year’s entries show how much can be achieved relatively quickly in farming if the right things are done.

Sheep and beef farms in Northland, Wairarapa and King Country are contending for the title of best Maori farmer.

Kingi Smiler says the owners of Omapere Rangihamama near Kaikohe, have only had control of their land for the past 10 years.

Puketawa Station near Eketahuna is farmed by Ronald and Justine King, who were part of a whanau who won in 2015 after pooling resources so each of the brothers and sisters could build up enough capital to buy their own farms.

"Ronald and Justine have been farming their farm now since 2013, just four years, and they are in the finals in a high hill country farm, just like the Taumarunui one, soe the conditions they are faming in and the environments they are working in, they are certainly demonstrating great skill in how they’ve done that," Mr Smiler says.

Open days will be held on the farms over the next two months, and the trophy will be awarded at a gala dinner in Whangarei on May 26.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH KINGI SMILER 

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