A Taupo-based farming trust has won a prestigious award for Maori excellence in farming for the second consecutive year.
Waipapa 9 Trust has won the 2011 Ahuwhenua trophy for its outstanding sheep and beef operation, Waipapa Station.
The station was formerly three separate sheep and beef farms. It covers almost 1500 hectares and carryies more than 12,000 stock units.
Last year, the trust won the trophy for its dairying operation.
Waipapa 9 has about 12,000 shareholders representing seven hapu of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Raukawa descent.
Waipapa chair Dawson Haa says the consecutive wins can be attributed to the team work within the trust.
''Managers and staff have the same dreams and aspirations as the board of governors,'' he said.
Mr Haa encourages other Maori farming enterprises to participate in the awards because it will benefit their operations.
''The first lot of judging selects the three finalists,'' he said.
''The next lot scrutinise your operations and business plans and it's good to do that and get another opinion apart from your own.''
