YOUR INDUSTRY
Regan Judd receives the award
Regan Judd scoops award for second time A focus on consistency ensured T&G orchard foreman Regan Judd will represent the Hawke’s Bay region at the national Young Grower contest in September. By Rose Mannering Regan was crowned the Hawke’s Bay Young Fruitgrower for the second time in a very tight battle for the title on 4 June at Toitoi, the Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre. Regan grew up on a dairy farm near Bulls, but after a stint working on orchards opted to follow a horticulture career path. He graduated from Massey University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science majoring in Horticulture and was taken on by T&G in their graduate programme. He has worked his way up to foreman in the Thompson sector of orchards near Havelock North. “I entered the contest to challenge myself against my peers, but also to meet other people in the industry, and to build contacts,” he says. Regan won the regional event in 2019 and came third in the national competition, but last year’s event was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. 34
The ORCHARDIST : JULY 2021
Regan finished three points ahead of his nearest rival and first-time entrant, Liam Sykes, an assistant manager for Freshco at Puketapu. Regan’s focus on consistency across the competition paid off in the battle for the award; he was one of eight vying for the top spot in Hawke’s Bay. The contest comprised a practical session on 3 June, run by the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association in conjunction with the National Horticultural Field Days. Challenges included analysing soil test results to recommend a fertiliser programme, irrigation repair and programming, using virtual reality goggles to make pruning cuts, filling an empty bucket with water using a digger, a building challenge, identifying pests and diseases, and market access issues. This was followed up by a quiz, and speeches at the formal dinner and prize-giving the following day.
