Congratulations to Dave for winning the HortFert Young Achiever Award.

Dave is Production Manager at Thirkettle Nurseries in Nelson where he started in 2007, after returning from Otago University with a B.SC and Master of Science.  Dave was married earlier this year, and is currently on his honeymoon, travelling to Canada which will include visits to wholesale nurseries around the Vancouver area. He views his success to date in a relatively short period as a major achievement and the winning of this award as an important goal.

Dave goes on to represent NGIA in the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2010 competition, 3 ^rd & 4 ^th November, with a first prize valued at over $20,000 plus a host of other awards and prize packages. He must also complete a 10 page marketing project to be presented during the Grand Final in November. This Market Innovation Project sponsored by AGMARDT carries a first prize of $5,000.

Dave also wins a 4 night trip to Melbourne, taking in a visit to the 2011 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, courtesy of HortFert Plus.

The other finalists were Claire Masters of Plant Wholesalers in Whenuapai and Morgan Rogers of Waimea Nurseries in Nelson, who each win a $500 approved standard training course of their choice with NZ Horticulture ITO. The three finalists were put through five competitive events to arrive at the winner, but each performed well in the individual events. The 3 minute speech presented to delegates on Wednesday night was won by Dave; the 20 question horticultural and general knowledge quiz was won by Claire; the interview session the next morning was won by Morgan; the computer exercise was won by Dave; and Hortisports were won by Dave. Prizes for each were donated by Daltons, HortFert Plus, Growing Spectrum and NZHort ITO.

NGIA thanks Mark and Mary Stevenson of HortFert Plus for their continued support of this award. Thanks also to NZ Hort ITO for their support and the hard work put in by Helen van der Weff, and the local support team led by Kerryn Reynish.