The 25-year-old is now focussing on getting some practical farming experience to back up his Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours). Not from a farming background, Daniel took up dairying in 2006 after his accountant father pointed him in that direction when he finished secondary school.
Ultimately his goal is to become a farm advisor but at present he’s enjoying his time in the paddocks and dairy and seeing the theories learned at university come to life.
His short- to medium-term goals are to get more farming experience behind him and grow his farming knowledge. He also wants to fit in some overseas travel and work.
Second place went to Stratford farm assistant Peter Templeton, while Stratford trainee Jayden Harvey came in third and also won the New Zealand Dairy Exporter Farming Knowledge Award.
The DairyNZ Practical Skills Award went to William Harris of Patea and the Promising Future Industry Acknowledgement Award to Kane Hughes also of Patea.