Ahuwhenua Trophy

Doug Leeder – Chief Judge.

Long-time Bay of Plenty dairy farmer and former Chair of the “industry good” organisation, Dairy InSight Doug Leeder has been Chief Judge of the Ahuwhenua competition since the Trophy for excellence in dairy farming was introduced in 2006.

Doug has farmed in Easterm Bay of Plenty since 1981 and now runs a 680 cow operation near Opotiki. He has a strong interest in governance and, in the last 15 years, has used his considerable skill and experience in this area within the dairy industry. Doug has also served on several health sector crown entities.

Stephen Veitch – BNZ Senior Partner, East Waikato

Stephen Veitch has 13 years banking and finance experience in Hawkes Bay, South Waikato, Central Plateau and Bay of Plenty areas. Stephen grew in up Dannevirke, Southern Hawkes Bay, before attending Massey University More recently he was based in Wellington where he worked in the areas of commercial property investment and development.

As BNZ’s Senior Partner for East Waikato, Stephen Veitch looks after nine Agribusiness Partners and a Commercial Property Finance Partner in the wider Hamilton, Matamata and Morrinsville area.
He currently lives in Hamilton with his wife Teri and two children, Ella and Nikau who whakapapa to Ngati Awa and Ngati Manawa.

Tafi Manjala – DairyNZ Regional Leader for Northland

Zimbabwe born, Tafi Manjala has 14 years experience working with farmers, eight of which have been in Northland. He and his team work through farmer networks in the region to help farmers achieve their farm business goals. Tafi was, for three years, a finalist judge of the Farm Manager of the Year section of the Dairy Industry awards. He has also been a judge of the Balance Farm Environment Awards and the Regional Sharemilker of the Year competitions.

Tafi has lived in New Zealand since 2002. He has two children and enjoys being a lifestyle beef farmer leasing land and running 50 head of steers.

Paul Klee – Fonterra’s Regional Manager, Lower North Island

Paul Klee has been involved in the dairy industry since 2000, working with Fonterra as an Area Manger in Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay prior to moving into his current role as Regional Manager, Field Services, Lower North Island.

Paul is a Massey graduate and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Agribusiness with Honours. He is passionate about the dairy industry and farming in general and takes an active role in growing his own farming interests in Hawke’s Bay.

Peter MacGregor – AgITO’s Strategic Relationships Manager

Peter (Ngati Kahungunu; Ati Hau Nui a Papaarangi; Ngati Raukawa; Maniapoto and Ngati Paoa) is AgITO’s Strategic Relationships Manager. He has held a variety of positions in the Housing, Education and Training and the Land Development divisions of the former Department of Maori Affairs and several other positions through to Te Puni Kokiri. He has been energetically promoting the benefits of the reinvigorated competition at field days, and to farm workers and employers as part of his day job, since AgITO became a bronze sponsor in 2005. This is the second year Peter has judged the competitions preliminary round.

Paul Radich – Senior Area Manager, North Taranaki

Paul Radich grew up in Stratford where he still lives, on a farmlet with his family. He has a BA in education and has worked, as an educator, in New Zealand, Japan and England. He spent three years with the Taranaki Regional Council as an environmental educator, before moving to Fonterra as an Area Manager and then Regional Services Manager for the Lower North Island. He is currently a Senior Area Manager in North Taranaki.

Paul has a passion for the NZ dairy industry and the Co-operative. He says that being a judge in the 2010 Ahuwhenua Trophy was a highlight of his career and he is very excited to be involved again. “The Ahuwhenua competition has a great history and it is a privilege to be able to witness and be a part of this showcase of the very best in Maori farming.”

Paul Bird – Farm Consultant with DairyNZ

Paul Bird has been a farm consultant for 20 years working in NZ, Ireland and the UK. Paul was involved in developing and delivering the DairyNZ Mark and Measure courses that have been running for 10 years. He is currently working as a Consultant to DairyNZ on various business related projects including investigating success factors in large multi-unit dairy businesses. He has interests in commercial property and shares and also aims to spend as much time as possible with his wife Anne and 2 boys.

Duncan Matthews – Agribusiness Partner, Central Plateau, BNZ

Duncan grew up on a sheep and beef property near Hawera, Taranaki, and graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science & a Rural Valuation Diploma from Massey University. After returning from overseas travel, Duncan began his banking career with BNZ in 2003.

He has been based in Taupo for the past 9 years and now manages predominately larger clients along side a range of Maori trusts and incorporations. Duncan enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters in the outdoors of the Taupo area.