Rural News // february 19, 2013
28 agribusiness
Agriculture training making a difference With youth of today, much is said of the negativity, lack of will to work, or conversely of wanting to be the boss without the practical experience that often makes a good boss. Bernard Lilburn discovers some fine, young, men who through agricultural training are making a difference with their lives. Tem Sidney was a student at Hato Paoroa Maori College, near Feilding. Through his Gateway Course tutor, Neil Budge, he heard of the live-in course offered at the 2000ha Otiwhiti Station that runs 24,000su on hill country, near Hunterville in the Rangitikei District. He duly applied, was interviewed by the panel, whilst still at school, and was accepted for the 2012 Otiwhiti intake. Sidney’s year on the training farm, which is run in partnership with Wanganui-domiciled Private Training Enterprise (PTE) Land Based Training (LBT), started on January 12 for the 48 week course and ended on December 21. The course covers the whole spectrum of sheep and cattle farming and in hill country. Students are involved in all aspects of farming, from fencing and
weed control – through the stock work The students have one day a week of classroom theory, and this takes place to dog training. Dean (Hud) Hudson is the stock in the recently closed Otairi School, manager and a competent dog and which is on the station grounds. Tutor stockman in his own right. Hudson pro- Dave Atmore works with the group to achieve Level 2 and 3 Certifivides dog training tuition to cates of Agriculture. The stuthe cadets on a weekly basis, dents live in quarters on the and to this end, Sidney now property with meals in a comhas two useful dogs to take munal cookhouse. with him when he moves to Sidney was awarded a Harhis new job in the New Year. wood Farm Trust Scholarship He started with a heading prior to starting at Otiwhiti, pup, and then purchased and Tem Sidney which has helped him with older Huntaway, and fully admits, the dog has taught him a thing costs during the year. He also spent the or two, and also about patience when holidays prior to starting; pressing for working with stock. This also comes shearing contractor Tony Kendrick. He into play with hand-piece work where has involved himself, as have the other local shearing contractor Shane Ratima cadets, in the local social activities. A provides his expertise to the trainees. highlight of the year was winning the
Wanganui Rugby Union’s trophy for the local derby. He has also enjoyed the work at Otiwhiti, on neighbouring properties, and also in the South Island on properties that are linked to Otiwhiti’s owners. Tem Sidney has gained a multitude of skills and especially enjoyed the dog training sessions with top dog trialist Lloyd Smith. As he moves on to a job on another property in the Turakina Valley, and like all the cadets, with the wellrounded education they have received, has employment for the next year. Sidney’s ambition is to continue his education and progress through the ranks of responsibility to eventually manage a property, and a Maori block would be his ultimate goal to be able to give something back to his Pori or Iwi. Ihaka Gibb was an Awatapu College student who came on a Gateway course at the LBT campus on the Pioneer Highway in Palmerston North. A student that didn’t really want to be there, but under tutors Neil Budge and Bernard Lilburn, his interest was sparked by the practical side of the course and by doing a calf slink run and
visiting a few farms. He left school and was a lost soul, on a one way trip to the big house, when he came back to the team at LBT in Palmerston Nth and asked what he could do. Ihaka became part of the Farm Skills youth training course, which does practical farming work on local properties whilst studying toward the Level 2 qualification. Gibb was placed in a position on a dairy farm and worked there for 6 months for board and lodging and some spending money as part of his course. When his time finished, he didn’t want to leave, but went to Gisborne and spent a season planting and pruning trees. However, the love of the farming life won over and Gibb returned to a job near Dannevirke in February, and on Gypsy Day, he returned to his original Wairarapa job. His boss, farm manager, Taru Gardiner is contract managing for the owner and employs Ihaka and Meaha in full time positions milking 400 cows. Ihaka Gibb was a troubled youth and with mentored guidance and commitment on his part, he has turned his life around, and is now earning good money with a future in front of him.
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