June 1, 2026 • 40 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Sir David Ellis, Geoff Maber, Rachel Law, Professor Keith Woodford, and Phil Duncan.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Farmlands for fencing solutions
to keep animals secure.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Nights in White Satin, never reaching the end, letters over it,
never meaning to sund Beugado.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie mackay,
the Moody blows Nights in White Satin. We're going to
kick off the show with a newly minted night Sir
David Ellis Arise, Sir David principle of the Tiarkau stud
for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy and a
good bloke as well. We're also going to catch up
(00:58):
with some of the other people who were recognized over
the weekend in the King's Birthday Honors list. Jeff Maber
from Power Farming, Professor Keith Woodford a name Who's a
man whose name is? Should I say? Is synonymous with agribusiness,
Academia and Lincoln University. Just to break things up, Aweabit.
One of the great stories over the weekend was Rachel
(01:21):
Law Third Woman, Just the third woman and one hundred
and sixteen year history of the New Zealand Dog Triial
Champs to lift the national title. In her case it
was the straight hunt with the hunter away Nala. Phil
Duncan on the weather and there's been plenty of it
over the long weekend, great weekend where I'm based in Dunedin.
(01:43):
That was almost spring like or autumn like. Certainly wasn't
like the first day of winter yesterday. But some areas,
particularly the top part of the South Island have been
smacked and smacked hard by the weather. So we've got
that to talk about as well. And Michelle I wander
in here and we'll do rural news. We're going to
(02:05):
give a shout out to some of the other people
who were recognized in the New Year's honors list, particularly
for egg. It was interesting to see Katrina Roberts, Doctor
Katrina Roberts from madamatter services to the dairy industry in
the community, member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Now those of you with a good memory might remember
that Katrina was the twenty twenty four Dairy Woman of
(02:29):
the Year. More about some of those other ones are
also Lindsey Wright down there in wend Inside, not far
from Northern Southland's capital of Riversdale. Well deserved recognition for him,
and we'll tell you about some of the others as well,
but we're going to kick it off with a knight
in white satin. I don't even know what his racing
colors are, but anyhow, Sir David Alice to kick off
(02:51):
the country. It was great to see so many in
the agriculture and primary sector recognized in the King's Birthday
(03:15):
honors list over the weekend. Let's kick the show off
with the bloke who got the biggest gong. He is now,
Sir David Charles Allis David Alice from t RKL stud
and David. The good thing about you is you've sort
of upsized your gong. You were a companion of the
New Zealand Order of Merit in twenty twenty. You've upsized
(03:36):
that to a night companion. So you are, Sir David,
for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy. Congratulations, well deserved.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Oh thank you very much, Jamie.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Yet an honor that I really received for the whole
team that works with me, people that have been with
me for a lifetime, and there's many parts to it.
Is my wife, who is a very important part of
the business and the people like Mark Walker, who has
(04:08):
worked for me since the day left school, and many
people like that that have helped make Tiakaw Racing for
success that it's been. So it's certainly not just about me.
It's about a great team that we have.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Talk to me about the origins of the TRKL stud Well.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
In nineteen seventy nine, I applied for a Rural Bank
loan to buy five hundred acres in the Wimi Valley,
which is just the next valley north of tirkw And
I bought this farm for two hundred and fifteen thousand
dollars and the bank manager that was with the Rural
(04:51):
Bank was a chap called Glenn Holmes. And Glenn came
out and interviewed me, and I'm way home.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
I thought to myself, if this guy gets us.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
Loan for me for my first farm, I'll love him
for the rest of my life. Well, he got the
loan and we've become great mates.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
So was the loan to set up a horse stud
or was it to farm other animy.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Much a sheet and cattle farm.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah, so was the at that stage was the horse
racing just a side interest?
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Yes, it was and it wasn't until nineteen eighty three,
four years later that I bought tiakaas dad. In those days,
wool prices was six dollars fifty akilo and last year
dollar fifty, this year four dollars, So it's heading in
(05:45):
the right direction. But Will was one of the biggest
money earners in my early days and certainly paid for
all the fertilizer and that sort of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So, as we all know, and I know from personal experience,
farming the second half of the eighties was a bit
of a tough gig under Roger nomics. Did the horse
racing stud save your bacon?
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Probably not.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I was just getting into it in a very early stage,
went through some very tough times financially, had children at
boarding school, had you know, the horses that I couldn't sell.
Farm prices were just average and interests. I was paying
twenty three percent interest and a lot of people say
(06:33):
to me today, oh, that just wouldn't be right.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Well, I tell you it was right.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I know there's plenty of farmers no exactly that it
was right. What was the tipping point or what did
one horse make you?
Speaker 5 (06:46):
It was a number of factors. I've had an early
horse called Distinctly Secret that I bred and owned myself
in the early stages, and he would have won a
million dollars in prize money in the early nineties, late nineties.
(07:08):
So that was you know, there's a lot of horses
that have great affection with me for different reasons, and
that reason for that horse was because he was such
a great help to me at a time when.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
I really needed the money.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Horse racing or owning a race horse is not for
the fainthearted, and I can tell you that from personal
experience as a young bloke named Lashes who used to
work with me got me into a horse. I don't
know where the horse is now. It might be in
a can somewhere, David. But for everyone who's bought a
race horse, there is probably not a great percentage of
them who are wants or am I being a bit
skeptical there.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
I don't think they could be with TRK racing if
that was the case.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I know you big into syndication of horses. I told
my sob story on the radio a few months ago,
and you sent me a text. You were kind enough
to say you had a real one of a horse
at TI arcaw once a bit and twice shy, I
didn't take you up. Should I have?
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Well, it looks like you should have. For sure.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
That's been a winner.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
No, it hasn't raced yet, but it looks like being
one of the best horses we've got.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Well, maybe you and I might have to have a
word about that one at field Days if there's still
an opportunity. Hey, just before I let you go, not
only did you get your night Companion of the Order
of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to
the Thoroughbred industry, also philanthropy. Tell me about some of
the stuff you've done, because I know your generosity is legendary.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Well, we like to keep it under the radar, but
we're patrons of the Equi Potential, which is the old
riding for the disabled and Hamilton. There's lots of things
that we like doing, and we like putting back into
society and helping people that aren't so fortunate. Baron and
(09:00):
I enjoy doing that, and we also have a great
deal of love for helping young people that want to
really work hard and give us their heart and soul.
And we've got the best team around us that you
could ever.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Imagine haven't you got the New Zealand Young Farmer of
the Year, the current one as your next door neighbor.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Pretty much our next door neighbor. He's just down the road,
Hugh Jackson and he's an absolute champion young bloke doing
a fantastic job of running his farm. And the Jackson
family are just legendary.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Well one of them works for you is Mum works
for you.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
She runs my office. She's our business manager and I
wouldn't my life wouldn't be worth loving without her. She's
just the most amazing person you'd never meet.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Sir David Ellis from the Tiak, I'll stud a night
companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Thank you
so much for your time. Looking forward to meeting you
in person at field Days.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Jamie sixteen after twelve. What a great bloke here is,
Sir David Alice. As we look at some of the
people who were recognized in the King's Birthday honors list,
here's a text that came in yesterday. Please this week
interview Keith Woodford honest King's Birthday on a well textoor.
(10:25):
I can tell you that I will be very shortly
Professor Keith wood for doctor as well Keith Woodford, great bloke,
bit of a regular heir on the country. His name
is synonymous with Lincoln College slash university, so he was recognized.
But up next, this is a great story the Maybor
family that the Power Farming group and of course the
(10:50):
Giant Cow on Monsville. Mabel the Giant Cow as a
lovely story behind that in the history of the Maybor Family.
Rachel Law. Talking about good stories, here's a woman who
has a nine month old baby. She's running a huge
farming operation and just in a spare time, she decided
to win the straight Hunt and the New Zealand Dog
(11:12):
Troll Champs that culminated on Friday in Hawke's Bay last week.
Great story, Rachel Law. Shortly, but up next it's Jeff Maber.
(12:00):
So here's another great story about a person recognized over
the weekend for the King's Birthday honors. Jeff Maber. Mister
Jeffrey John Maber, an officer of the New Zealand Order
of Merit. Now the Maybor family is behind Power Farming,
huge agribusiness company not only in New Zealand but also
Australia and the States. But Jeff, let me put this
(12:22):
to you. Are you most famous for making the cow
Maybel the giant cow on Mornsville good afternoon.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
After then, Jamie, No, I have to put that down
to my father. And my father was mayor of the
local town, Morrens, who wanted to put a cow forty
years before that. I had no money. They all said, unlist,
you had some money, you couldn't build the cow. And
the council had no money. And we didn't have any
money in those days anyway, And in his later in life,
I lost my dad. I think it was eighteen now,
(12:50):
two thousand and eighteen, and he said, just before he passed,
he said, it wouldn't be nice to build a cow.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
And leave it.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
And being my dad, if you knew him as a
bit of a character, he said, if you can have
it finish before I died, I'll pay for and if
I don't, your paper. So we went half fifty to fifty,
but I caught it his cow, and that was the
greatest disappointment. He missed seeing the cow finished, but anyway,
he would have loved to see at the other day.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Well Power Farming founded by your dad Lorrie in nineteen
forty eight, I read in a small shed in Morinsville
and as you mentioned he was the mayor. Was he
also famous for being one of the first people to
install a rotary dairy shed.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Yes, after studying with tractors, he physically, then they went
farming and got involved with some pretty good guys and
they then put a rotary in and I think one
of the first, is not the first that mis a
thousand cows at any one time, and this is now
going back forty to fifty years ago, so it was
quite innovation and that some piece. My dad probably liked
(13:48):
farming more than being in the tractor business. And then
from tractors, after being in retail, then we got into
the wholesale business, which was probably more of my making.
And we grew in New Zealand, and then of course
we had got and we grew Australia, and then of
course it's amazing over a beer Zeutz far we're pulling
out of the US. They found it quite difficult, and
(14:09):
my son Craig said, well, that's an opportunity, and we
talked about at the board level, and a long story short,
we started there and it was a great pleasure I've
just come back from the States. We had a conference
in the state who just after seven years of being
in the States, we delivered five thousand deuts far tractors
and on the path to ten thousand is what the
theme of our conference was, and that was quite a
(14:30):
thrill to be in the largest tractor market in the
world and doing pretty well.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
To be honest, the power farming group is huge, as
we said in New Zealand, Australia, North America, generating six
hundred million annually, employing up to five hundred people. There
must be never or six hundred.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
Yeah, starting to grow. I think we certainly. The market's
are complex at the moment with tariffs in America obviously
the last year or two men extremely challenging and is
on as most people would know, but it's starting to
come out. Commodity prices are pretty good levels and I
think they'll stay there. And Australia is going through its
challenges with government levels, but I think that'll come out
(15:12):
over the next year or two and we see as
much opportunities for growth as anybody. We're very, very passionate
about the future of agriculture and especially in Australia. In
New Zone.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
You and the power Farm and group have supported lots
of organizations and charities over the years. Can you highlight
a couple that are near and dear to your own heart?
Jeff maber weel It.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
I went to boarding schools in Hamilton and through my
wife's pressure from my wife lovely wife physically said, we've
got involved with the supporting school buildings and building the
pavilion that subbill school, involved with charities and in lots
of different areas, et cetera, et cetera. I think my
son sponsors why like at a rugby for junior rugby
(15:58):
in the last number of years, et cetera. And I
think we you know, I believe we'll do a good
job in the community and work within the community which
has given so much back to us.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Fantastic. Hey, just to finish on, you mentioned before how
optimistic you were about the future of farming, agriculture the
primary sector, and I think of the protein boom that's
currently happening around the world at the moment, you'd have
to say, as farming ever looked better if only we
could get the cost side of the equation down.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Jamie, I couldn't agree more. I mean having been business
in the States over the last coming up to nine
or ten years, and they have four hundred billion, four
hundred billion US dollars of subsidies directly indirectly go to
farmers and six hundred million euros go to farmers in
the EU, etc. And our farmers, you know, and that's
(16:47):
what I love about our farmers. They're resilient, they work hard,
et cetera. And my argument today these people are long
term trying to phase these subsidies out. Our futures is
just amazing. I mean, there's Southeast Asia starting to explode
with people, they're leading better foods. I'm so optimistic. I
(17:09):
honestly said, here's the day and think the future of
New Zealand and farming. We need to the fundamental road.
We need a government that's stable. You know, obviously this
challenge is worldwide, but the demand for protein has never
been higher. You know, we're extremely confident from where we
are for our CEOs and our board. We see the
future being amazing. But don't tell me there's always speed
(17:32):
bumps all the way along. How we've got a feel
things that'll finish. There's always ups and downs. We've had
as many ups as many as highs as we've had
lows in the last.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Forty or fifty years. But that's the nature of the business.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
But we love it and we're passionate and we've got
a great lot of people, and I think it's our
people that have made the difference to our business and
today we go are able to get the best in
the industry. And you know, the people make the business.
So the formula is quite.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Easily fantastic to chat to your Jeff Mahber from the
Power and Group recognized in the weekend and the King's
Birthday Honors List with Ann awarded an Officer of the
New Zealand Order of Merit. Thank you for your time.
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Well done by the jam We'll look forward to seeing
at the fields.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Cheers mate too right.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Thank you very much. Jeff, just one of the outstanding
New Zealanders recognized for their services to agriculture, the primary sector, agribusiness,
you name it. And the common theme with a lot
of these people is they're recognized for philanthropy as well.
For guys like Jeremy Rooks, that means giving away money.
(18:34):
Right up next, this is maybe my favorite story over
the weekend. It came to pass on Friday, just the
third woman in one hundred and sixteen year history of
the New Zealand Dog Trial Champs to lift a national title.
Got a great story backstory as well. Up next a
Rachel Law and a hunterway bitch. I can say that,
(18:55):
can't I and a hunter away dog Nala took out
the straight Hunts. We're going to talk to her about farming,
family and dog trialing.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Next.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
That's overant.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Never meaning, so let's take a break from the King's
Birthday Honest List, although this young woman might be on
the list in years to come. Her name is Rachel Law.
She wrote her name into the history books by becoming
just the third woman in the one hundred and sixteen
year history of the New Zealand Dog Trialing Championships to
(19:42):
take out a title. Her and a dog, Nahla, took
out the straight hunt. Rachel is a farm manager in Talmanui. Rachel,
how long have you been dog trialing for and farming?
Speaker 7 (19:53):
For?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Good afternoon and thanks for your time.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Hi, Jenny.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
I'm not too sure how long I've been dog drawing
for now, but quite a while. Definitely over ten years,
I'll probably yeah, definitely over ten and I've been farming
here in the king Country now thirteen years as well
a little while.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You have a degree in agribusiness from Massa University. But
you did say to me during the commercial break that
you didn't really use that You've got a dog instead.
It's worked out well for.
Speaker 9 (20:21):
You a dog and it ruined my life. Yeah, so
I ended up on farm instead of in an office.
But yeah, it has worked out really well. Been very
very lucky with the people in my life that have
supported me with the dogs and things in my job
and everything like that.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
So tell me about your job and tell m Renoui.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
I just run one of Treuva Johnson's farms down here.
He owns Pepperada Farms. There's five large farms here and
I run Tema Wada which is about thirteen fifty heaptares
running about eleven thousand stock units.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Just determined hopes you're slot. You're just cutting in and
out for me. There, stand on a chair there, Rachel.
How do you how none of you're fine? We'll continue
on how do you fit everything into a day? Because
you're a champion dog trialist, you've won the New Zealand
straight Hunt title. You're running an eleven thousand stock unit farm.
(21:15):
But you're just a brand new mum or just about
a brand new mum as well. You've got a nine
month old baby or young spihold. How do you manage
all that?
Speaker 9 (21:26):
Not very well, to be honest, it's a lot. But
I have a very good support crew. I've got no
very blessed and I have an ope here and pulches.
My partner's very hands on in his home, and my
crew at work have just had to learn that I'm
completely incompetent and my brain doesn't work since I've had
a baby.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
So I've been picking up this sat there.
Speaker 9 (21:45):
So I'm just surrounded by a lot of really good
people and that's what's helped me through.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Have you always been a high achiever a multitasker.
Speaker 9 (21:54):
I don't know about that, but I like to set
a goal and then try and see it through a try.
Speaker 8 (22:01):
But this is a big one. I wasn't expecting this
to happen last week the.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Straight Hunt there are four disciplines, of course, and the
dog trials two heading dogs to hunt aways sections. The
straight Hunt. You were the last person I think of
seven into the final. Then you took the chocolates How
good was that?
Speaker 9 (22:22):
Yeah, it was just I came off the course happy
because we got a really ship sheep like it was
terrible and Nala there was nothing to do with me,
and Nala just nailed it.
Speaker 8 (22:31):
She pushed that sheet straight up the hill where I
didn't want to go.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
So I came off the course very happy, just with
the way that my dog was working and the fact
that we took out the title was just an added bonus.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Really, So you've got a nine month old baby and
Nala the dog got the title for you must be
like another child.
Speaker 9 (22:52):
No, no, she's back in her what's the rest of
the dogs? I told her, if she wants me to
more New Zealand, she can move.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
And then Nala's was it? NLA's mum won you a
title as well a North Island title.
Speaker 9 (23:05):
Yep, Miss Manga MANI a couple of years ago. And
Gus my baby, he was in his first run off
last year when he was in my belly.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
What a great story just to finish on because I
got Michelle to phone you up earlier in the morning
to tee up this interview, and you did say that
you wanted to mention rural women's mental health, and I
look at your life and everything you're packing into it.
How do you cope?
Speaker 8 (23:29):
I don't.
Speaker 9 (23:30):
I don't really good support crouch and I just want
anyone out there to know that it's.
Speaker 8 (23:35):
Okay to not be okay and to ask for help.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Well that's a wonderful message on which to finish. Rachel Law.
Congratulations the third woman in the one hundred and sixteen
year history of the New Zealand Dog Trolling Championships to
take out a title along with Nala. You won the
Straight Hunt. It's been great to chat to you. I
really appreciate your time. I know you're a busy woman.
Thanks Jamie, Thanks Rachel. It is twenty six away from one.
(24:01):
What an inspirational young woman. Rachel Laura's winner of the
Straight Hunt with the Hunt Away Nala up next. How
do I segue from Naala the Hunt Away to you, Michelle.
I'm not sure. I'll ponder that. During the break we
will regather at the thoughts and Michelle will have the
(24:21):
latest and royal news. We might have a look at
some of those other people in agriculture who were recognized
in the King's Birthday honors list. Before the end of
the hour, as promised, Professor Keith Woodford gee that bloke
deserves a gong, or did deserve a gong? He got one?
And Phil Duncan on the weather that hasn't been flash
around some parts of the country.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
Just what.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
It is twenty two away from one year with the
Country Night is the theme Nights with an N and
with the K Michelle good After and I can't believe
that you hadn't heard of Black Knight by Deep Purple.
I'm sure this would have rocked at the Rosie back
in the day.
Speaker 11 (25:19):
Maybe it's an age thing. I'm too young.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Well, maybe it is an age thing. You mum and
dad would certainly know about Deep Purple. Anyhow, that is
our musical theme for today. Let's see what's happening in
Rural News.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
The Country's world news with cub Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower bread. Visit steel Ford dot co
dot nz for your local stockist.
Speaker 11 (25:39):
The New Zealand's still Timber sports team is off to
try and make history and Budapest and Hungary this weekend.
Top Key we x Men Jack Jordan will attempt to
become the first four time champion of the Steel timbersawt
Sports World Trophy. Well Ossie Bo's Kiwi Ashley Marsh will
represent New Zealand in the first ever Still Timber Sports
Women's World Championship. Matthew Gower from Taran competes that completes
(26:01):
the three person in New Zealand Timber Sports team and
will compete in the Steel Timber Sports Rookie Under twenty
five World Championship. Gower Marsh both compete on Saturday morning,
New Zealand Time, with Jordan's competition taking place Sunday morning,
New Zealand Time. And that's Rural.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
News Sport on the country with AFCO invested in your
farming success.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Good news if you're a Damien McKenzie fan, as as
I am. Damien McKenzie has declared himself ready to return
for the Chiefs and Super Rugby playoffs and how good
was the Chiefs be team over the weekend. The All
Blacks playmaker set out the last two weeks of the
regular season after a head knock against the Highlanders in
round fourteen. Meanwhile, two former All Black assistant coaches will
(26:45):
join forces at the Blues next year. The New Zealand
Herald reports incoming head coach Jason Holland as recruited former
All Blacks colleague Tarmiti Allison to join his staff. And
woman's tennis world number one Arena Sabolenka is welcoming the
return of Serena Williams to the professional circuit. The latter
(27:07):
will begin her much rumored comeback and doubles at the
Queen's Club in London next week. And the seeds are
falling all over the place in the men's and women's
draw at Roland Garris. So I think Arena Sabolenka has
to be odds on. You would think to take out
the women's title. Now that's sports news for you. And
(27:29):
Michelle had given me a list of some other people.
Did I mention Katrina? Yes, I did, Katrina Roberts. Doctor
Katrina Roberts from Madamta services to the dairy industry and
the community Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
And also she was the twenty twenty four dairy Woman
of the Year. Doctor Ronald Betson from Motchuaca for services
(27:50):
to Horticulture, Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit,
Mister Russell Lowe of Tapuki for services to horticulture and
the Kiwi fruit industry. Another one to receive an Officer
of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and as I mentioned,
Lindsay Wrights from Gore. What he's outside of Gore really
went inside for services to rural communities and mental health
(28:15):
and Lindsay gets a much deserved King's Service Medal. Up next,
another man who was ordered a going over the weekend,
Professor Keith Woodford. We continue our look at people in
the ag sector honored over the weekend and the King's Birthday.
(28:36):
Honest list, this guy richly deserves his Officer of the
New Zealand Order of Merit, Doctor Keith Bernard Woodford. Keith,
really proud that you got this long over Joe. I
can't believe you didn't get your going earlier.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
Well, I'm proud to get it. I'm also humble. One
never sort of expects these things, but I feel it's
a great honor and I've just been overwhelmed in the
last twenty four hours with all the messages that I've
been receiving.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Yours is for services to agriculture and agribusiness and your
name is synonymous with asking to say Lincoln College I'm
showing my age there with Lincoln University.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Yes, a lot of my career has been associated with
Lincoln because I was overseas for twenty years. But I
do sometimes reflect that on the education I got there
and the original agricultural science degree, which was nineteen sixty
(29:42):
sixty sixty nine. But in those days, the agricultural science
degree was very broad. It gave us lots of insights
and science and the economics, the farm management. We spent
time working on farms, and there was a real problem
solving sort of philosophy within the course. It wasn't just theory,
(30:07):
and I think it set us, It set us up
pretty well for a lot of things that happened in
the years following.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
Okay, if we look at some of your career highlights,
and I know you had a big role to play
around m Bovas, which was at the time very very
frightening for New Zealand. And I think of the Ministry
for Primary Industries as they're known as today. What a
great job. They didn't get everything right, obviously, but what
a great job we did as a nation at this stage,
(30:33):
the only nation to have looked like we might eradicate it.
Speaker 7 (30:38):
Yes, when they set out to eradicate it, I thought, gosh,
this is going to be a real tricky job. But
there was a little bit of new science came through
which made a big difference, and that was the ability
to test in bulk milk for the presence of the
bobs and that really did make different So it was
(31:01):
a wonderful protege. There were things that were wrong. I
got involved trying to help quite a number of people
who were caught with the bobus and were under huge stress,
huge financial stress and mental stress. So yes, I take
(31:23):
sort of pleasure from remembering that I might have helped
a few people there get over some of that stress.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Perhaps another career highlight. And this is noted in your dissertation.
Here is your book, The Devil and the Milk, Health
and Politics of A one and a two Milk.
Speaker 7 (31:42):
Yes, well that's sort of been part a big part
of my life for a long time, from when I
realized the importance of the A two. And it's got
a little bit quiet in New Zealand at the moment,
although it's still clicking along overseas and quite a big way,
and particularly in the Asian countries where a lot of
(32:05):
people can drink eight milk that cannot drink the ordinary milk.
So I'm still involved with that and one of my
projects still to do is a total rewrite of the book,
bringing all the science up to date. One of the
pleasing things in New Zealand is that although we don't
(32:27):
not talking a lot about a two milk at the moment,
over the last ten years or so and lice have
to be, you know, given recognition for this, they've actually
drifted the whole New Zealand are dairy herd towards a two.
So New Zealand milk, even just the ordinary milky buy
(32:48):
in the supermarket is higher in a two than well,
hily any other country in the world. We've made progress quietly.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Just to finish on you know, you went to Lincoln
College as it was back in the day in the
sixties as a young whipper snappy. You've spent many many
years on staff. You've seen many many changes in agriculture
over the years. What do you think is the biggest one?
Speaker 4 (33:16):
There?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
You go, that's quite a tough question, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
Gosh, what's the biggest change? Gosh? Yeah, I just about
have to take that one on notice. Jamie. There have
been so many different issues and there still are, so
I'm a little bit constrained. And what I can do
now is the years have gone by, but I'm still
involved with a number of projects. One of the ones
(33:42):
right now is infrastructure for wintering with dairy cows, and
I'm doing quite a lot bit of work with composting blinds. Yeah,
it's one of the issues just sort of under the
surface at the moment that we're seeing quite a few
of these barns now being built. So you know, there's
a whole range of issues. And of course the exciting
(34:04):
thing about working in agriculture is that there has been
so much change. We've got incredibly productive industries in agriculture and.
Speaker 8 (34:16):
Has always changed going on.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
And so I can say that in all my time,
I've never been bored for a moment. We've always been
issues to get involved with.
Speaker 10 (34:26):
In the Star.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Well, you can take the man out of Lincoln, but
you can't take the Lincoln University out of the man.
Are Doctor Keith Woodford, Officer of the New Zealand Order
of Merit. Congratulations richly deserved. Thank you, Jamie, an officer
and a gentleman Professor Keith Wood for great bloke, so
pleased to see him recognized. He doesn't keep the best
(34:49):
of health these days, but he's still battling on. So Keith,
are well done, richly deserved. Now we're having some issues
I think in the wire wrapper with ads playing over
an interview not of our making, not that I can
see anyhow, apologies for that. If you've missed it on
the wireless, just go back and listen to it on
(35:10):
our podcast. You'll get a clean cut, I promise you.
Right ow up. Next, we've had all the good news
stories from the weekend. Are the King's Birthday honors list,
Rachel Law What a great story she's got, you know,
winning the New Zealand Dog trialing championships. Really enjoyed chatting
to Rachel. But Phil Duncan on the weather. Some parts
(35:32):
of the country enjoyed a very calm effectively Queensboro or
King's Birthday weekend, but not so many parts, especially the
top of the South Island, got absolutely smacked. So we're
going to talk to you about the weather and see
wat's in store for the next few days. For some
of you, you will be in clean up mode. Phil
Duncan to wrap the country.
Speaker 12 (35:54):
Next weather on the country with Fiji, where happiness comes naturally.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
Fell Duncan joins us from a weather watch normally on
a Monday. We got yesterday off, and good luck to
all the dairy farmers by the way, who have changed farms,
jobs and whatever. Over the long weekend. It was moving day.
It's effectively moving week. I hope you're settled in. The
weather's not too bad wherever you are. Pell Duncan from
(36:41):
weather watch. I got some rainfall numbers I think from
the Nelson region seven hundred mills and twelve hours. That
can't be right, can it.
Speaker 10 (36:50):
It doesn't sound right, but it might be. We don't
get historical data, so I can't confirm that, but there
was certainly some very heavy rain that was targeted in
that air. And when it comes in from the north
and you've got those sort of horseshoe shaped ranges going
around Nelson and Tasman, it just belds up and belds up,
so they have all sorts of rain on top of
(37:11):
the rain. It's also warm. I see Wellington broke its
maximum June record over nineteen degrees both yesterday and today.
So we're seeing some very high temperatures for this time
of the year on top of the heavy rain, which
is helping create this heavy rain as well.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
So we know that the upper part of the North Island,
I think Taranaki got some meaningful rain as well, those
regions that are sort of facing in that direction. What
about the dry regions of the country fell because we're
hearing that some of the rainfall numbers out of the
likes of christ Church Canterbury are at historic lows almost.
Speaker 10 (37:44):
Yeah, it's getting very dry through Canterbury and through Otago
and also the lower half of the North Island. There
are some areas that are really drying out and some
of the rain has been very patchy in those areas.
So locally some people might have had a good downpour,
but from a regional point of view, they have not
had a huge amount of rain from this event in
(38:05):
most of those areas, which as I say, I think
Canterbury and Otago sort of highlighted the most. But we're
seeing Munawatu, Central Plateau, Taranaki, East Cape, Waiicuto, all those
areas parts of Auckland. So there has been rain relief
in some of those areas, but not all of them.
So might take another week or so for us to
kind of get a clearer picture on how much rain
(38:27):
has fallen and how much help that's had. There is
another low coming later this week. It's bringing stormy weather
to Australia right across the southern coastline from Perth over
towards Sydney. The whole southern part of Australia is having
wind rain, there's going to be snow at higher elevation
and that system is moving our way later this week,
(38:48):
so it'll be a little more westerly driven, so maybe
not again helping out those people in the east as much,
but there is another chance of some rain coming later
this week again with mild winds for this time of
the year. This week is warmer than average in many aspects,
a lot of subtropical airflow from our north coming down,
but that is going to change. So behind this low
(39:09):
in Australia, there's a high pressure system building that will
then come into them at the start of next week
and then reach New Zealand, hopefully just in time for
field days. And I was just looking at their forecast
and it's looking pretty good at Mystery Creek next week,
lots of sunshine, cold nights coolish days, but the sun
will be out, so it's looking at this stage really
good for next week.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Well, well take that. I think I might have to
wear the best set of R. M. Williams rather than
the Field Days set the old set.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I'm fond of saying these days the only place you
get mud on your boots at field Days these days
is the car park. Literally, it is so good. It's
totally weather proof. He's a text saying we got absolutely
a four rain and Hawks Bay so they're still pretty
dry there. Hey, fell look, thank you very much for
your time. I do appreciate it. We'll catch you again
next Monday and you can update that Feld Day's forecast
(40:00):
for us.
Speaker 4 (40:01):
Look forward to it.
Speaker 10 (40:02):
Cheers mate.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
There we go, Phil Duncan wrapping The Country on a
day where we celebrated excellence and agribusiness. See you tomorrow,
never reaching the.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Catch all the latest from the Land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmlands for fencing solutions
to keep animals secure.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Farmlands for fencing solutions
to keep animals secure.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Nights in White Satin, never reaching the end, letters over it,
never meaning to sund Beugado.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie mackay,
the Moody blows Nights in White Satin. We're going to
kick off the show with a newly minted night Sir
David Ellis Arise, Sir David principle of the Tiarkau stud
for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy and a
good bloke as well. We're also going to catch up
(00:58):
with some of the other people who were recognized over
the weekend in the King's Birthday Honors list. Jeff Maber
from Power Farming, Professor Keith Woodford a name Who's a
man whose name is? Should I say? Is synonymous with agribusiness,
Academia and Lincoln University. Just to break things up, Aweabit.
One of the great stories over the weekend was Rachel
(01:21):
Law Third Woman, Just the third woman and one hundred
and sixteen year history of the New Zealand Dog Triial
Champs to lift the national title. In her case it
was the straight hunt with the hunter away Nala. Phil
Duncan on the weather and there's been plenty of it
over the long weekend, great weekend where I'm based in Dunedin.
(01:43):
That was almost spring like or autumn like. Certainly wasn't
like the first day of winter yesterday. But some areas,
particularly the top part of the South Island have been
smacked and smacked hard by the weather. So we've got
that to talk about as well. And Michelle I wander
in here and we'll do rural news. We're going to
(02:05):
give a shout out to some of the other people
who were recognized in the New Year's honors list, particularly
for egg. It was interesting to see Katrina Roberts, Doctor
Katrina Roberts from madamatter services to the dairy industry in
the community, member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Now those of you with a good memory might remember
that Katrina was the twenty twenty four Dairy Woman of
(02:29):
the Year. More about some of those other ones are
also Lindsey Wright down there in wend Inside, not far
from Northern Southland's capital of Riversdale. Well deserved recognition for him,
and we'll tell you about some of the others as well,
but we're going to kick it off with a knight
in white satin. I don't even know what his racing
colors are, but anyhow, Sir David Alice to kick off
(02:51):
the country. It was great to see so many in
the agriculture and primary sector recognized in the King's Birthday
(03:15):
honors list over the weekend. Let's kick the show off
with the bloke who got the biggest gong. He is now,
Sir David Charles Allis David Alice from t RKL stud
and David. The good thing about you is you've sort
of upsized your gong. You were a companion of the
New Zealand Order of Merit in twenty twenty. You've upsized
(03:36):
that to a night companion. So you are, Sir David,
for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy. Congratulations, well deserved.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Oh thank you very much, Jamie.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Yet an honor that I really received for the whole
team that works with me, people that have been with
me for a lifetime, and there's many parts to it.
Is my wife, who is a very important part of
the business and the people like Mark Walker, who has
(04:08):
worked for me since the day left school, and many
people like that that have helped make Tiakaw Racing for
success that it's been. So it's certainly not just about me.
It's about a great team that we have.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Talk to me about the origins of the TRKL stud Well.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
In nineteen seventy nine, I applied for a Rural Bank
loan to buy five hundred acres in the Wimi Valley,
which is just the next valley north of tirkw And
I bought this farm for two hundred and fifteen thousand
dollars and the bank manager that was with the Rural
(04:51):
Bank was a chap called Glenn Holmes. And Glenn came
out and interviewed me, and I'm way home.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
I thought to myself, if this guy gets us.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
Loan for me for my first farm, I'll love him
for the rest of my life. Well, he got the
loan and we've become great mates.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
So was the loan to set up a horse stud
or was it to farm other animy.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Much a sheet and cattle farm.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah, so was the at that stage was the horse
racing just a side interest?
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Yes, it was and it wasn't until nineteen eighty three,
four years later that I bought tiakaas dad. In those days,
wool prices was six dollars fifty akilo and last year
dollar fifty, this year four dollars, So it's heading in
(05:45):
the right direction. But Will was one of the biggest
money earners in my early days and certainly paid for
all the fertilizer and that sort of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So, as we all know, and I know from personal experience,
farming the second half of the eighties was a bit
of a tough gig under Roger nomics. Did the horse
racing stud save your bacon?
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Probably not.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I was just getting into it in a very early stage,
went through some very tough times financially, had children at
boarding school, had you know, the horses that I couldn't sell.
Farm prices were just average and interests. I was paying
twenty three percent interest and a lot of people say
(06:33):
to me today, oh, that just wouldn't be right.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Well, I tell you it was right.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
I know there's plenty of farmers no exactly that it
was right. What was the tipping point or what did
one horse make you?
Speaker 5 (06:46):
It was a number of factors. I've had an early
horse called Distinctly Secret that I bred and owned myself
in the early stages, and he would have won a
million dollars in prize money in the early nineties, late nineties.
(07:08):
So that was you know, there's a lot of horses
that have great affection with me for different reasons, and
that reason for that horse was because he was such
a great help to me at a time when.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
I really needed the money.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Horse racing or owning a race horse is not for
the fainthearted, and I can tell you that from personal
experience as a young bloke named Lashes who used to
work with me got me into a horse. I don't
know where the horse is now. It might be in
a can somewhere, David. But for everyone who's bought a
race horse, there is probably not a great percentage of
them who are wants or am I being a bit
skeptical there.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
I don't think they could be with TRK racing if
that was the case.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I know you big into syndication of horses. I told
my sob story on the radio a few months ago,
and you sent me a text. You were kind enough
to say you had a real one of a horse
at TI arcaw once a bit and twice shy, I
didn't take you up. Should I have?
Speaker 4 (08:05):
Well, it looks like you should have. For sure.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
That's been a winner.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
No, it hasn't raced yet, but it looks like being
one of the best horses we've got.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Well, maybe you and I might have to have a
word about that one at field Days if there's still
an opportunity. Hey, just before I let you go, not
only did you get your night Companion of the Order
of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to
the Thoroughbred industry, also philanthropy. Tell me about some of
the stuff you've done, because I know your generosity is legendary.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
Well, we like to keep it under the radar, but
we're patrons of the Equi Potential, which is the old
riding for the disabled and Hamilton. There's lots of things
that we like doing, and we like putting back into
society and helping people that aren't so fortunate. Baron and
(09:00):
I enjoy doing that, and we also have a great
deal of love for helping young people that want to
really work hard and give us their heart and soul.
And we've got the best team around us that you
could ever.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Imagine haven't you got the New Zealand Young Farmer of
the Year, the current one as your next door neighbor.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Pretty much our next door neighbor. He's just down the road,
Hugh Jackson and he's an absolute champion young bloke doing
a fantastic job of running his farm. And the Jackson
family are just legendary.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Well one of them works for you is Mum works
for you.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
She runs my office. She's our business manager and I
wouldn't my life wouldn't be worth loving without her. She's
just the most amazing person you'd never meet.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Sir David Ellis from the Tiak, I'll stud a night
companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Thank you
so much for your time. Looking forward to meeting you
in person at field Days.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Jamie sixteen after twelve. What a great bloke here is,
Sir David Alice. As we look at some of the
people who were recognized in the King's Birthday honors list,
here's a text that came in yesterday. Please this week
interview Keith Woodford honest King's Birthday on a well textoor.
(10:25):
I can tell you that I will be very shortly
Professor Keith wood for doctor as well Keith Woodford, great bloke,
bit of a regular heir on the country. His name
is synonymous with Lincoln College slash university, so he was recognized.
But up next, this is a great story the Maybor
family that the Power Farming group and of course the
(10:50):
Giant Cow on Monsville. Mabel the Giant Cow as a
lovely story behind that in the history of the Maybor Family.
Rachel Law. Talking about good stories, here's a woman who
has a nine month old baby. She's running a huge
farming operation and just in a spare time, she decided
to win the straight Hunt and the New Zealand Dog
(11:12):
Troll Champs that culminated on Friday in Hawke's Bay last week.
Great story, Rachel Law. Shortly, but up next it's Jeff Maber.
(12:00):
So here's another great story about a person recognized over
the weekend for the King's Birthday honors. Jeff Maber. Mister
Jeffrey John Maber, an officer of the New Zealand Order
of Merit. Now the Maybor family is behind Power Farming,
huge agribusiness company not only in New Zealand but also
Australia and the States. But Jeff, let me put this
(12:22):
to you. Are you most famous for making the cow
Maybel the giant cow on Mornsville good afternoon.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
After then, Jamie, No, I have to put that down
to my father. And my father was mayor of the
local town, Morrens, who wanted to put a cow forty
years before that. I had no money. They all said, unlist,
you had some money, you couldn't build the cow. And
the council had no money. And we didn't have any
money in those days anyway, And in his later in life,
I lost my dad. I think it was eighteen now,
(12:50):
two thousand and eighteen, and he said, just before he passed,
he said, it wouldn't be nice to build a cow.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
And leave it.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
And being my dad, if you knew him as a
bit of a character, he said, if you can have
it finish before I died, I'll pay for and if
I don't, your paper. So we went half fifty to fifty,
but I caught it his cow, and that was the
greatest disappointment. He missed seeing the cow finished, but anyway,
he would have loved to see at the other day.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Well Power Farming founded by your dad Lorrie in nineteen
forty eight, I read in a small shed in Morinsville
and as you mentioned he was the mayor. Was he
also famous for being one of the first people to
install a rotary dairy shed.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Yes, after studying with tractors, he physically, then they went
farming and got involved with some pretty good guys and
they then put a rotary in and I think one
of the first, is not the first that mis a
thousand cows at any one time, and this is now
going back forty to fifty years ago, so it was
quite innovation and that some piece. My dad probably liked
(13:48):
farming more than being in the tractor business. And then
from tractors, after being in retail, then we got into
the wholesale business, which was probably more of my making.
And we grew in New Zealand, and then of course
we had got and we grew Australia, and then of
course it's amazing over a beer Zeutz far we're pulling
out of the US. They found it quite difficult, and
(14:09):
my son Craig said, well, that's an opportunity, and we
talked about at the board level, and a long story short,
we started there and it was a great pleasure I've
just come back from the States. We had a conference
in the state who just after seven years of being
in the States, we delivered five thousand deuts far tractors
and on the path to ten thousand is what the
theme of our conference was, and that was quite a
(14:30):
thrill to be in the largest tractor market in the
world and doing pretty well.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
To be honest, the power farming group is huge, as
we said in New Zealand, Australia, North America, generating six
hundred million annually, employing up to five hundred people. There
must be never or six hundred.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
Yeah, starting to grow. I think we certainly. The market's
are complex at the moment with tariffs in America obviously
the last year or two men extremely challenging and is
on as most people would know, but it's starting to
come out. Commodity prices are pretty good levels and I
think they'll stay there. And Australia is going through its
challenges with government levels, but I think that'll come out
(15:12):
over the next year or two and we see as
much opportunities for growth as anybody. We're very, very passionate
about the future of agriculture and especially in Australia. In
New Zone.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
You and the power Farm and group have supported lots
of organizations and charities over the years. Can you highlight
a couple that are near and dear to your own heart?
Jeff maber weel It.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
I went to boarding schools in Hamilton and through my
wife's pressure from my wife lovely wife physically said, we've
got involved with the supporting school buildings and building the
pavilion that subbill school, involved with charities and in lots
of different areas, et cetera, et cetera. I think my
son sponsors why like at a rugby for junior rugby
(15:58):
in the last number of years, et cetera. And I
think we you know, I believe we'll do a good
job in the community and work within the community which
has given so much back to us.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Fantastic. Hey, just to finish on, you mentioned before how
optimistic you were about the future of farming, agriculture the
primary sector, and I think of the protein boom that's
currently happening around the world at the moment, you'd have
to say, as farming ever looked better if only we
could get the cost side of the equation down.
Speaker 6 (16:26):
Jamie, I couldn't agree more. I mean having been business
in the States over the last coming up to nine
or ten years, and they have four hundred billion, four
hundred billion US dollars of subsidies directly indirectly go to
farmers and six hundred million euros go to farmers in
the EU, etc. And our farmers, you know, and that's
(16:47):
what I love about our farmers. They're resilient, they work hard,
et cetera. And my argument today these people are long
term trying to phase these subsidies out. Our futures is
just amazing. I mean, there's Southeast Asia starting to explode
with people, they're leading better foods. I'm so optimistic. I
(17:09):
honestly said, here's the day and think the future of
New Zealand and farming. We need to the fundamental road.
We need a government that's stable. You know, obviously this
challenge is worldwide, but the demand for protein has never
been higher. You know, we're extremely confident from where we
are for our CEOs and our board. We see the
future being amazing. But don't tell me there's always speed
(17:32):
bumps all the way along. How we've got a feel
things that'll finish. There's always ups and downs. We've had
as many ups as many as highs as we've had
lows in the last.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Forty or fifty years. But that's the nature of the business.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
But we love it and we're passionate and we've got
a great lot of people, and I think it's our
people that have made the difference to our business and
today we go are able to get the best in
the industry. And you know, the people make the business.
So the formula is quite.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Easily fantastic to chat to your Jeff Mahber from the
Power and Group recognized in the weekend and the King's
Birthday Honors List with Ann awarded an Officer of the
New Zealand Order of Merit. Thank you for your time.
Speaker 6 (18:09):
Well done by the jam We'll look forward to seeing
at the fields.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Cheers mate too right.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Thank you very much. Jeff, just one of the outstanding
New Zealanders recognized for their services to agriculture, the primary sector, agribusiness,
you name it. And the common theme with a lot
of these people is they're recognized for philanthropy as well.
For guys like Jeremy Rooks, that means giving away money.
(18:34):
Right up next, this is maybe my favorite story over
the weekend. It came to pass on Friday, just the
third woman in one hundred and sixteen year history of
the New Zealand Dog Trial Champs to lift a national title.
Got a great story backstory as well. Up next a
Rachel Law and a hunterway bitch. I can say that,
(18:55):
can't I and a hunter away dog Nala took out
the straight Hunts. We're going to talk to her about farming,
family and dog trialing.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Next.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
That's overant.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Never meaning, so let's take a break from the King's
Birthday Honest List, although this young woman might be on
the list in years to come. Her name is Rachel Law.
She wrote her name into the history books by becoming
just the third woman in the one hundred and sixteen
year history of the New Zealand Dog Trialing Championships to
(19:42):
take out a title. Her and a dog, Nahla, took
out the straight hunt. Rachel is a farm manager in Talmanui. Rachel,
how long have you been dog trialing for and farming?
Speaker 7 (19:53):
For?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Good afternoon and thanks for your time.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Hi, Jenny.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
I'm not too sure how long I've been dog drawing
for now, but quite a while. Definitely over ten years,
I'll probably yeah, definitely over ten and I've been farming
here in the king Country now thirteen years as well
a little while.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You have a degree in agribusiness from Massa University. But
you did say to me during the commercial break that
you didn't really use that You've got a dog instead.
It's worked out well for.
Speaker 9 (20:21):
You a dog and it ruined my life. Yeah, so
I ended up on farm instead of in an office.
But yeah, it has worked out really well. Been very
very lucky with the people in my life that have
supported me with the dogs and things in my job
and everything like that.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
So tell me about your job and tell m Renoui.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
I just run one of Treuva Johnson's farms down here.
He owns Pepperada Farms. There's five large farms here and
I run Tema Wada which is about thirteen fifty heaptares
running about eleven thousand stock units.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Just determined hopes you're slot. You're just cutting in and
out for me. There, stand on a chair there, Rachel.
How do you how none of you're fine? We'll continue
on how do you fit everything into a day? Because
you're a champion dog trialist, you've won the New Zealand
straight Hunt title. You're running an eleven thousand stock unit farm.
(21:15):
But you're just a brand new mum or just about
a brand new mum as well. You've got a nine
month old baby or young spihold. How do you manage
all that?
Speaker 9 (21:26):
Not very well, to be honest, it's a lot. But
I have a very good support crew. I've got no
very blessed and I have an ope here and pulches.
My partner's very hands on in his home, and my
crew at work have just had to learn that I'm
completely incompetent and my brain doesn't work since I've had
a baby.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
So I've been picking up this sat there.
Speaker 9 (21:45):
So I'm just surrounded by a lot of really good
people and that's what's helped me through.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Have you always been a high achiever a multitasker.
Speaker 9 (21:54):
I don't know about that, but I like to set
a goal and then try and see it through a try.
Speaker 8 (22:01):
But this is a big one. I wasn't expecting this
to happen last week the.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Straight Hunt there are four disciplines, of course, and the
dog trials two heading dogs to hunt aways sections. The
straight Hunt. You were the last person I think of
seven into the final. Then you took the chocolates How
good was that?
Speaker 9 (22:22):
Yeah, it was just I came off the course happy
because we got a really ship sheep like it was
terrible and Nala there was nothing to do with me,
and Nala just nailed it.
Speaker 8 (22:31):
She pushed that sheet straight up the hill where I
didn't want to go.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
So I came off the course very happy, just with
the way that my dog was working and the fact
that we took out the title was just an added bonus.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Really, So you've got a nine month old baby and
Nala the dog got the title for you must be
like another child.
Speaker 9 (22:52):
No, no, she's back in her what's the rest of
the dogs? I told her, if she wants me to
more New Zealand, she can move.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
And then Nala's was it? NLA's mum won you a
title as well a North Island title.
Speaker 9 (23:05):
Yep, Miss Manga MANI a couple of years ago. And
Gus my baby, he was in his first run off
last year when he was in my belly.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
What a great story just to finish on because I
got Michelle to phone you up earlier in the morning
to tee up this interview, and you did say that
you wanted to mention rural women's mental health, and I
look at your life and everything you're packing into it.
How do you cope?
Speaker 8 (23:29):
I don't.
Speaker 9 (23:30):
I don't really good support crouch and I just want
anyone out there to know that it's.
Speaker 8 (23:35):
Okay to not be okay and to ask for help.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Well that's a wonderful message on which to finish. Rachel Law.
Congratulations the third woman in the one hundred and sixteen
year history of the New Zealand Dog Trolling Championships to
take out a title along with Nala. You won the
Straight Hunt. It's been great to chat to you. I
really appreciate your time. I know you're a busy woman.
Thanks Jamie, Thanks Rachel. It is twenty six away from one.
(24:01):
What an inspirational young woman. Rachel Laura's winner of the
Straight Hunt with the Hunt Away Nala up next. How
do I segue from Naala the Hunt Away to you, Michelle.
I'm not sure. I'll ponder that. During the break we
will regather at the thoughts and Michelle will have the
(24:21):
latest and royal news. We might have a look at
some of those other people in agriculture who were recognized
in the King's Birthday honors list. Before the end of
the hour, as promised, Professor Keith Woodford gee that bloke
deserves a gong, or did deserve a gong? He got one?
And Phil Duncan on the weather that hasn't been flash
around some parts of the country.
Speaker 10 (24:44):
Just what.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
It is twenty two away from one year with the
Country Night is the theme Nights with an N and
with the K Michelle good After and I can't believe
that you hadn't heard of Black Knight by Deep Purple.
I'm sure this would have rocked at the Rosie back
in the day.
Speaker 11 (25:19):
Maybe it's an age thing. I'm too young.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Well, maybe it is an age thing. You mum and
dad would certainly know about Deep Purple. Anyhow, that is
our musical theme for today. Let's see what's happening in
Rural News.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
The Country's world news with cub Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower bread. Visit steel Ford dot co
dot nz for your local stockist.
Speaker 11 (25:39):
The New Zealand's still Timber sports team is off to
try and make history and Budapest and Hungary this weekend.
Top Key we x Men Jack Jordan will attempt to
become the first four time champion of the Steel timbersawt
Sports World Trophy. Well Ossie Bo's Kiwi Ashley Marsh will
represent New Zealand in the first ever Still Timber Sports
Women's World Championship. Matthew Gower from Taran competes that completes
(26:01):
the three person in New Zealand Timber Sports team and
will compete in the Steel Timber Sports Rookie Under twenty
five World Championship. Gower Marsh both compete on Saturday morning,
New Zealand Time, with Jordan's competition taking place Sunday morning,
New Zealand Time. And that's Rural.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
News Sport on the country with AFCO invested in your
farming success.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Good news if you're a Damien McKenzie fan, as as
I am. Damien McKenzie has declared himself ready to return
for the Chiefs and Super Rugby playoffs and how good
was the Chiefs be team over the weekend. The All
Blacks playmaker set out the last two weeks of the
regular season after a head knock against the Highlanders in
round fourteen. Meanwhile, two former All Black assistant coaches will
(26:45):
join forces at the Blues next year. The New Zealand
Herald reports incoming head coach Jason Holland as recruited former
All Blacks colleague Tarmiti Allison to join his staff. And
woman's tennis world number one Arena Sabolenka is welcoming the
return of Serena Williams to the professional circuit. The latter
(27:07):
will begin her much rumored comeback and doubles at the
Queen's Club in London next week. And the seeds are
falling all over the place in the men's and women's
draw at Roland Garris. So I think Arena Sabolenka has
to be odds on. You would think to take out
the women's title. Now that's sports news for you. And
(27:29):
Michelle had given me a list of some other people.
Did I mention Katrina? Yes, I did, Katrina Roberts. Doctor
Katrina Roberts from Madamta services to the dairy industry and
the community Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
And also she was the twenty twenty four dairy Woman
of the Year. Doctor Ronald Betson from Motchuaca for services
(27:50):
to Horticulture, Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit,
Mister Russell Lowe of Tapuki for services to horticulture and
the Kiwi fruit industry. Another one to receive an Officer
of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and as I mentioned,
Lindsay Wrights from Gore. What he's outside of Gore really
went inside for services to rural communities and mental health
(28:15):
and Lindsay gets a much deserved King's Service Medal. Up next,
another man who was ordered a going over the weekend,
Professor Keith Woodford. We continue our look at people in
the ag sector honored over the weekend and the King's Birthday.
(28:36):
Honest list, this guy richly deserves his Officer of the
New Zealand Order of Merit, Doctor Keith Bernard Woodford. Keith,
really proud that you got this long over Joe. I
can't believe you didn't get your going earlier.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
Well, I'm proud to get it. I'm also humble. One
never sort of expects these things, but I feel it's
a great honor and I've just been overwhelmed in the
last twenty four hours with all the messages that I've
been receiving.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Yours is for services to agriculture and agribusiness and your
name is synonymous with asking to say Lincoln College I'm
showing my age there with Lincoln University.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
Yes, a lot of my career has been associated with
Lincoln because I was overseas for twenty years. But I
do sometimes reflect that on the education I got there
and the original agricultural science degree, which was nineteen sixty
(29:42):
sixty sixty nine. But in those days, the agricultural science
degree was very broad. It gave us lots of insights
and science and the economics, the farm management. We spent
time working on farms, and there was a real problem
solving sort of philosophy within the course. It wasn't just theory,
(30:07):
and I think it set us, It set us up
pretty well for a lot of things that happened in
the years following.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
Okay, if we look at some of your career highlights,
and I know you had a big role to play
around m Bovas, which was at the time very very
frightening for New Zealand. And I think of the Ministry
for Primary Industries as they're known as today. What a
great job. They didn't get everything right, obviously, but what
a great job we did as a nation at this stage,
(30:33):
the only nation to have looked like we might eradicate it.
Speaker 7 (30:38):
Yes, when they set out to eradicate it, I thought, gosh,
this is going to be a real tricky job. But
there was a little bit of new science came through
which made a big difference, and that was the ability
to test in bulk milk for the presence of the
bobs and that really did make different So it was
(31:01):
a wonderful protege. There were things that were wrong. I
got involved trying to help quite a number of people
who were caught with the bobus and were under huge stress,
huge financial stress and mental stress. So yes, I take
(31:23):
sort of pleasure from remembering that I might have helped
a few people there get over some of that stress.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
Perhaps another career highlight. And this is noted in your dissertation.
Here is your book, The Devil and the Milk, Health
and Politics of A one and a two Milk.
Speaker 7 (31:42):
Yes, well that's sort of been part a big part
of my life for a long time, from when I
realized the importance of the A two. And it's got
a little bit quiet in New Zealand at the moment,
although it's still clicking along overseas and quite a big way,
and particularly in the Asian countries where a lot of
(32:05):
people can drink eight milk that cannot drink the ordinary milk.
So I'm still involved with that and one of my
projects still to do is a total rewrite of the book,
bringing all the science up to date. One of the
pleasing things in New Zealand is that although we don't
(32:27):
not talking a lot about a two milk at the moment,
over the last ten years or so and lice have
to be, you know, given recognition for this, they've actually
drifted the whole New Zealand are dairy herd towards a two.
So New Zealand milk, even just the ordinary milky buy
(32:48):
in the supermarket is higher in a two than well,
hily any other country in the world. We've made progress quietly.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Just to finish on you know, you went to Lincoln
College as it was back in the day in the
sixties as a young whipper snappy. You've spent many many
years on staff. You've seen many many changes in agriculture
over the years. What do you think is the biggest one?
Speaker 4 (33:16):
There?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
You go, that's quite a tough question, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
Gosh, what's the biggest change? Gosh? Yeah, I just about
have to take that one on notice. Jamie. There have
been so many different issues and there still are, so
I'm a little bit constrained. And what I can do
now is the years have gone by, but I'm still
involved with a number of projects. One of the ones
(33:42):
right now is infrastructure for wintering with dairy cows, and
I'm doing quite a lot bit of work with composting blinds. Yeah,
it's one of the issues just sort of under the
surface at the moment that we're seeing quite a few
of these barns now being built. So you know, there's
a whole range of issues. And of course the exciting
(34:04):
thing about working in agriculture is that there has been
so much change. We've got incredibly productive industries in agriculture and.
Speaker 8 (34:16):
Has always changed going on.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
And so I can say that in all my time,
I've never been bored for a moment. We've always been
issues to get involved with.
Speaker 10 (34:26):
In the Star.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Well, you can take the man out of Lincoln, but
you can't take the Lincoln University out of the man.
Are Doctor Keith Woodford, Officer of the New Zealand Order
of Merit. Congratulations richly deserved. Thank you, Jamie, an officer
and a gentleman Professor Keith Wood for great bloke, so
pleased to see him recognized. He doesn't keep the best
(34:49):
of health these days, but he's still battling on. So Keith,
are well done, richly deserved. Now we're having some issues
I think in the wire wrapper with ads playing over
an interview not of our making, not that I can
see anyhow, apologies for that. If you've missed it on
the wireless, just go back and listen to it on
(35:10):
our podcast. You'll get a clean cut, I promise you.
Right ow up. Next, we've had all the good news
stories from the weekend. Are the King's Birthday honors list,
Rachel Law What a great story she's got, you know,
winning the New Zealand Dog trialing championships. Really enjoyed chatting
to Rachel. But Phil Duncan on the weather. Some parts
(35:32):
of the country enjoyed a very calm effectively Queensboro or
King's Birthday weekend, but not so many parts, especially the
top of the South Island, got absolutely smacked. So we're
going to talk to you about the weather and see
wat's in store for the next few days. For some
of you, you will be in clean up mode. Phil
Duncan to wrap the country.
Speaker 12 (35:54):
Next weather on the country with Fiji, where happiness comes naturally.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
Fell Duncan joins us from a weather watch normally on
a Monday. We got yesterday off, and good luck to
all the dairy farmers by the way, who have changed farms,
jobs and whatever. Over the long weekend. It was moving day.
It's effectively moving week. I hope you're settled in. The
weather's not too bad wherever you are. Pell Duncan from
(36:41):
weather watch. I got some rainfall numbers I think from
the Nelson region seven hundred mills and twelve hours. That
can't be right, can it.
Speaker 10 (36:50):
It doesn't sound right, but it might be. We don't
get historical data, so I can't confirm that, but there
was certainly some very heavy rain that was targeted in
that air. And when it comes in from the north
and you've got those sort of horseshoe shaped ranges going
around Nelson and Tasman, it just belds up and belds up,
so they have all sorts of rain on top of
(37:11):
the rain. It's also warm. I see Wellington broke its
maximum June record over nineteen degrees both yesterday and today.
So we're seeing some very high temperatures for this time
of the year on top of the heavy rain, which
is helping create this heavy rain as well.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
So we know that the upper part of the North Island,
I think Taranaki got some meaningful rain as well, those
regions that are sort of facing in that direction. What
about the dry regions of the country fell because we're
hearing that some of the rainfall numbers out of the
likes of christ Church Canterbury are at historic lows almost.
Speaker 10 (37:44):
Yeah, it's getting very dry through Canterbury and through Otago
and also the lower half of the North Island. There
are some areas that are really drying out and some
of the rain has been very patchy in those areas.
So locally some people might have had a good downpour,
but from a regional point of view, they have not
had a huge amount of rain from this event in
(38:05):
most of those areas, which as I say, I think
Canterbury and Otago sort of highlighted the most. But we're
seeing Munawatu, Central Plateau, Taranaki, East Cape, Waiicuto, all those
areas parts of Auckland. So there has been rain relief
in some of those areas, but not all of them.
So might take another week or so for us to
kind of get a clearer picture on how much rain
(38:27):
has fallen and how much help that's had. There is
another low coming later this week. It's bringing stormy weather
to Australia right across the southern coastline from Perth over
towards Sydney. The whole southern part of Australia is having
wind rain, there's going to be snow at higher elevation
and that system is moving our way later this week,
(38:48):
so it'll be a little more westerly driven, so maybe
not again helping out those people in the east as much,
but there is another chance of some rain coming later
this week again with mild winds for this time of
the year. This week is warmer than average in many aspects,
a lot of subtropical airflow from our north coming down,
but that is going to change. So behind this low
(39:09):
in Australia, there's a high pressure system building that will
then come into them at the start of next week
and then reach New Zealand, hopefully just in time for
field days. And I was just looking at their forecast
and it's looking pretty good at Mystery Creek next week,
lots of sunshine, cold nights coolish days, but the sun
will be out, so it's looking at this stage really
good for next week.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Well, well take that. I think I might have to
wear the best set of R. M. Williams rather than
the Field Days set the old set.
Speaker 4 (39:37):
Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I'm fond of saying these days the only place you
get mud on your boots at field Days these days
is the car park. Literally, it is so good. It's
totally weather proof. He's a text saying we got absolutely
a four rain and Hawks Bay so they're still pretty
dry there. Hey, fell look, thank you very much for
your time. I do appreciate it. We'll catch you again
next Monday and you can update that Feld Day's forecast
(40:00):
for us.
Speaker 4 (40:01):
Look forward to it.
Speaker 10 (40:02):
Cheers mate.
Speaker 3 (40:03):
There we go, Phil Duncan wrapping The Country on a
day where we celebrated excellence and agribusiness. See you tomorrow,
never reaching the.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Catch all the latest from the Land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmlands for fencing solutions
to keep animals secure.
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