12-05-2025
On The Up: Dairy Awards 2025 - Wairarapa's Pieter Van Beek named Dairy Trainee of the Year
The Dairy Trainee judges said Van Beek had good industry knowledge and looked to older farmers for career advice and mentorship.
'He soaks up their advice like a sponge,' judge Frank Portegys from DairyNZ said.
'He was able to communicate clearly around industry issues and the impact of some of those,' head judge Johanna Wood from Manawatū said.
'He has a broad knowledge and he's a hard worker.'
The first-time entrant is a farm assistant on Wilfred and Rachel Van Beek's 120ha, 330-cow farm at Greytown.
The 18-year-old is a third-generation New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards entrant, following in the footsteps of his parents and grandparents.
Van Beek won the Ecolab Personal Growth and Development Award, the Communication and Industry Involvement Award, plus over $10,000 in prizes.
The judges said the Dairy Trainee national finalists were an engaging group of young farmers from different backgrounds.
The Dairy Trainee runner-up, Emma Blom from Southland/Otago, won over $6000 in prizes.
She is the farm manager on Blomventures Ltd's 200ha Balfour property, milking 300 cows.
Third placegetter is Alex Diprose from Waikato, who is second in charge on Colin and Jackie Dixon's 167ha Horotiu property, milking 460 cows.
Alex won over $3000 in prizes and the DairyNZ Practical Skills merit award through his strong practical skills and knowledge.
Van Beek received his award alongside 2025 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year, Fiona and Thomas Langford, from Waikato, and Martin Keegan from Taranaki, who became the 2025 New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year.
