Horizons Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Celebrate the people and places behind the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, from past winners and regional contacts to the farms and sponsors shaping your region.

Key dates.

Entries Open

1 July 2025

Entries Close

31 October 2025

Finalists announced

February 2026

Awards Event

19 March 2026
2026 Open Day

TBC

2026 Horizons finalists.

Beef, Sheep

Brayden McKenzie Circle D Ranch

View their story
Beef, Sheep

Derek Mickleson Henare Trust

View their story
Dairy

Jarred & Bronwyn Clode Te Hou Farms Limited Partnership

View their story
Beef, Sheep

Alan & Kerri Blake Triple Farms

View their story

Celebrate their stories with us.

Join us to celebrate the Horizons regional award finalists on the 19 March 2026.

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Current and past BFEA winners.

2025 Horizons Regional Supreme Winner

John and Toos Cousins and Edmund, Guido and Julius Cousins

John and Toos Cousins and Edmund, Guido and Julius Cousins

Hiamoe Farm
  • Horizons Regional Supreme Winner 2025
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
  • Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees
Read their story

2025 Award Recipients

Kate Kellick and Jill Kellick

Tokorangi Farm
  • NZFET Innovation Award
Read their story

Michael Phillips, Oliver Sandbrook and Andrew Evans

Waka Dairies
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Hill Labs Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
Read their story

2024 Horizons Regional Supreme Winner

James & Debbie and Dave & Jan Stewart

James & Debbie and Dave & Jan Stewart

Stewart Dairylands
  • Horizons Regional Supreme Winner 2024
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
  • NZFET Innovation Award
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
  • Margaret Matthews Trophy for Commitment to Sustainability
Read their story

2024 Award Recipients

Hugh and Noelene Donald

Toa Toa Farming
  • Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees
Read their story

Mark Chrystall, Richard Chrystall and Rob Collier

Spring Farms
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Hill Labs Agri-Science Award
Read their story

Peter & Ally Apthorp, and Nathan Ebbett

Springview Agriculture
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
Read their story

2023 Horizons Regional Supreme Winner

Peter, John and Karen McErlean

Peter, John and Karen McErlean

Poplar Partnership
  • Horizons Regional Supreme Winners 2023
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
Read their story

2023 Award Recipients

Graham and Tracey Sinnamon

Meringa Station – Pāmu
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
  • Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees
Read their story

Jason & Amanda Prior

DownUnder Honey
  • NZFET Innovation Award
Read their story

Josh Millard

Tongariro Dairy Unit – Pāmu
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
Read their story

2022 Horizons Regional Supreme Winner

Richard and Suze Redmayne

Richard and Suze Redmayne

Tunnel Hill
  • Horizons Regional Supreme Winners 2022
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Agri-Business Management Award
Read their story

2022 Award Recipients

Angela Strawbridge

Taonui – Hopkins Farming Group
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
Read their story

George and Ellen Bartlett

Gemel Trust 
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • WaterForce Wise with Water Award
  • Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees
Read their story

Josh Millard

Tongariro Dairy Unit – Pāmu
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
Read their story

Upper Moawhango River Catchment Group 

  • NZ Landcare Trust Catchment Group Award
Read their story

2020 Horizons Regional Supreme Winner

The Clarke Family

The Clarke Family

Woodhaven Gardens
  • Regional Supreme Winner 2020
  • Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Agri-Business Management Award
  • Synlait Climate Stewardship Award
  • WaterForce Wise with Water Award
Read their story

2020 Award Recipients

Brendon & Rachel Williams

Pencoed Trust
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Massey University Innovation Award
Read their story

Chalky and Lesley Leary

Onga
  • Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees
Read their story

Mark Johnston and Rebecca Jeffery

Ruahine Range View
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
Read their story

Tony & Lynda Gray

Kinross Partnership
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
Read their story

Celebrating stewardship across Horizons.

Horizons

John and Toos Cousins and Edmund, Guido and Julius Cousins

Hiamoe Farm
View their story
Horizons

What are they up to now? Akers family

Broadlands Station
View their story
Horizons

Taumarunui West Catchment Group 

View their story
Horizons

James & Debbie and Dave & Jan Stewart

Stewart Dairylands
View their story
Horizons

Michael Phillips, Oliver Sandbrook and Andrew Evans

Waka Dairies
View their story
Our regional partner

Horizons Regional Council

Long‑term partner in recognising integration of trees, biodiversity and sustainable farming systems.

Horizons Regional Council is proud to support the Ballance Farm Environment Awards and their celebration of those who have created systems that enhance the environment while maintaining profitability.

Horizons has been involved with the Ballance Farm Environment Awards since 2004 and value in their involvement as the Awards not only recognise successful farmers in the region but also provide the opportunity for the council to build stronger links with the community, share ideas and work in partnership with landowners to achieve environmental best practice.

Horizons sponsors the Integration of Trees Award which recognises a farmer or grower who has planted trees to improve the sustainability of their property. It encompasses soil erosion, biodiversity, stock wellbeing and aesthetics.

View website

Horizons region awards.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award

This Award focuses on the management of soil and nutrients. A strong understanding of nutrients and nutrient budgeting is demonstrated. The impacts of nutrients and management practices on both soil fertility as well as surface and ground water are understood and well managed.

Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award

This Award is focused on the all-important people side of the farming and growing business. It recognises the importance of staff management, succession, community involvement, health and safety and other practices associated with people management and wellbeing.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award

This Award recognises the livestock farmer who demonstrates a commitment to long-term land and animal stewardship. It considers sustainable use of land, labour and capital resources, with livestock well cared for and stock class and type managed appropriately to the land contour and soil type.

DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award

This Award recognises dairy farmers who demonstrate a strong commitment to managing, protecting and enhancing their environment. It focuses on sustainable on-farm actions that show high standards of environmental care and sustainable use of the land, stock, labour and capital resources.

FMG Risk Management Award

This award recognises those who have identified and proactively managed any risks that could negatively impact their business to minimise the likelihood or severity of those risks. This covers all aspects of people management and farm planning, including business and financial risk management.

Hill Labs Agri-Science Award

This Award recognises excellence in the use of science and monitoring to optimise productivity and minimise environmental impacts. A good understanding of soil, water, plant and crop protection should be demonstrated, with supporting measurement and monitoring in evidence.

Ministry for the Environment Biodiversity Award

This award recognises the biological diversity of the farming and growing business. It acknowledges the mahi of both the present and past guardians (Kaitiaki) of the land that have created an environment that encourages and allows biodiversity to thrive.

Norwood Farming Efficiency Award

This Award recognises the farmer or grower who is actively focused on resource use efficiency. It takes into account different types of efficiency such as equipment or fuel efficiency or precision agriculture and recognises those who are making data driven decisions to determine resource use.

Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award

This award recognises how farmers and growers manage a successful, sustainable farm business, including the use of business plans, benchmarking and succession planning. It also acknowledges engagement with industry professionals and networks that support long-term business sustainability.

WaterForce Safe Water Recognition Award

The Safe Water Recognition Award celebrates farmers who demonstrate leadership in providing safe, clean drinking water on-farm. It recognises efforts to protect human health and uphold water quality standards through thoughtful system design, proactive testing, and responsible water management.

Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees

This Award recognises the farmer who has planted trees to improve the sustainability of the property. It encompasses soil erosion, biodiversity, stock well-being and aesthetics.

Regional coordinator.

Nadine Olsen
027 202 5512
horizons@bfea.org.nz

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