The recipients of the New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) National Awards for 2025 have been announced. The awards were presented at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in New Plymouth in early July, in front of over 650 attendees.
Eskview Young Farmers Club was honoured with the prestigious Club of the Year Award. Driven by a passion for creating a welcoming environment, the club was recognised for significantly increasing its membership across the club but also helping to drive that same growth across the East Coast region. They have been heavily involved in a number of initiatives and supporting others that were new to the region.
Pictured: Eskview Young Farmers Chair Emma Ractliffe celebrating at Grand Final Evening Show in New Plymouth
Current Chair of Eskview Young Farmers, Emma Ractliffe, expressed her excitement:
"Eighteen months ago, Eskview was a handful of members trying to rebuild momentum. For us to be where we are now, having grown to 55 members and been named Club of the Year, is honestly overwhelming and so exciting. It's a testament to what a club can achieve when it puts inclusivity and community at the heart of everything it does — and it's brought real energy back to the Hawke's Bay region. We are honoured!
The East Coast and Eskview club also had some great success, winning Best Regional Contest, convened by Emma Ractliffe.
Among the individual honourees, Natalie Lynch, Northern Alumni, received the Service to Young Farmers award, while Isla Edgecombe of Te Anau Young Farmers was awarded the Leadership Award.
The Franklin Young Farmers Community Quiz won the Best Event award for raising over $20,000 for local groups and charities.
The Otago Southland region was well represented at the awards, being there to support their Grand Finalist Tom Slee, who took out the title of Young Farmer of the Year, as well as the region taking out Region of the Year for a second year in a row and Best District Contest (delivered by Abbey White from Clinton South Otago Young Farmers).
The Chief Executive of New Zealand Young Farmers, Cheyne Gillooly, celebrated the evening as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of NZYF members.
"The NZYF National Awards provide a special opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our members and their unwavering commitment to the organisation. We are very proud of the tireless efforts and dedication shown by our members, truly showcasing that the future of our industry is in great hands.
These awards not only recognise their exceptional accomplishments but also highlight the remarkable talent and innovation among our members. Congratulations to all our award winners and nominees; you guys are awesome.”