A young Carterton dairy farming couple have been named as the first regional sharemilker of the year winners in the annual dairy industry awards.
Clarence and Elise Stolte, both in their early 20s, took the title for the Hawke's Bay-Wairarapa region.
They are in a 25% sharemilking arrangement on a family farm, and plan to move up the sharemilking ladder, with farm ownership their ultimate goal.
The regional farm manager of the year title went to Monty Monteith, who is running a farm at Takapau.
Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year is Darrell Rose, a 33-year-old dairy farm assistant on a Featherston farm.
The three regional winners will compete for the national titles in Rotorua in May.
