Agriculture’s leading students celebrated

Winning students (left) Renée Harrison, Alisha Harrop, Georgia O’Brien, Hugh Jackson, Mathilde van Baarle, Megan Robertson,Georgia Lovelady,Benjamin Orchard,Isabelle Phipps, Yvonne van Baarle, Sam Pike, Jasmine Creighton, Alex Hoek, Bradford Smith, Jacinta Harrop, Luke Bird.

Massey’s School of Agriculture and Environment has named its top students of the year at their annual Agriculture Awards Dinner.

Over 250 people gathered at Massey’s Sport and Rugby Institute last night for the 25th year of the awards. The awards bring together students, industry partners and educators to celebrate students and alumni, rewarding excellence inside and outside the classroom.

One of the top awards, the Massey Agriculture Student of the Year, sponsored by Fonterra Farm Source, is given to the student judged to have made the largest contribution to the well-being and reputation of their fellow students.

This year it went to a post-graduate student, Master of Science student Sam Pike.

Born in Bulls and the Dux of Feilding High School, Mr Pike was awarded the Ministry for Primary Industries Postgraduate Science Scholarship earlier this year. He is no stranger to the awards dinner, having won the New Zealand Institute of Ag and Hort Science Leading Student award at last year’s awards.

He has been working on the New Generation Beef project with Dr Nicola Schreurs, looking at the development of a new, sustainable beef production system from dairy calves. 

But apart from his academic excellence, he has also been active on organising committees for the Massey Horticulture Society and the Massey Young Farmers Club, as well as interacting with the farming community through his blog for AgriOne.

The Massey Agriculture Alumni Achievement Award

This award went to Bridgit Hawkins, founder and chief executive of New Zealand agritech company Regen. Raised on a Reporoa sheep and beef farm, Ms Hawkins completed a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Science in 1989. Regen aims to create world-class, technology-based solutions for the agricultural sector.

William Gerrish Award

This year the Alumni Foundation has produced a booklet celebrating the William Gerrish Award, being presented tonight for the 17th time and is made possible by the generosity of the Gerrish family – in memory of Bill.

This year the award went to Bradford Smith. Mr Smith was described as a student with very strong academic record in farm management and a passion for dairying, both on and off the farm, a good appreciation of global issues and their impact on agriculture now, and in the future.

The highly competitive video/ photograph competition, run by Rural News Group asked students, “What is your favourite thing about being an Ag Student at Massey?” and was taken out by Megan Robertson and Lachie Davidson.