26 | Competition keen for farm cadetship Pukerimo Station offers a fully funded two-year cadetship which provides both hands-on and academic training, with cadets living on-site. Russell Fredric RURAL PEOPLE » Pukemiro Station Passion and the right attitude go a long way for the cadets fortunate enough to be selected to train at Pukemiro Station. A cornerstone of Pukemiro’s operation is its fully funded two year cadetship programme which provides both hands-on and academic training, with cadets living on-site in their own cottage. The programme starts from first base with cadets learning cooking, keeping their living quarters, time management, goal setting and leadership while practical training covers the full range of seasonal farm operations. This cadetship reflects the vision of Don Williams who formed ADB Williams Trust to support the agricultural sector and gifted the Southern Hawkes Bay station to the trust before he died in 1983. It requires undertaking a Level 3 and Level 4 New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture over two years. Trustee David McKenzie has been with the trust for 14 years. “I’ve enjoyed my role as a trustee. We’ve got a real good team and it’s just working with them and supporting them.” “The business has grown a fair bit in the last 10 years, we’ve not quite doubled it in size,” David says. The area of land was originally 560 hectares at Otope, 11 kms from Dannevirke, bequeathed by Don Williams. In 2002 a 418 ha summer safe block dubbed Otawa was added at Coonoor, 30 minutes from Pukemiro. A further 450 ha which adjoined the Pukemiro block was purchased in 2013, while three years ago a further 312 ha was added to Otawa. This year’s three new cadets were selected from a pool of 30 applicants. “The criteria for selection is very much around their passion for farming and knowing this is what they want to do.” “They’ve got to have the right attitude to work in this environment; there are rules and regulations, no smoking and no drinking. The cadets live in a cottage and are supported in their domestic living by pastoral care manager, Andrea Sutherland.” “We take them on as fairly green young people and the first year they spend with our Maintenance Manager, Willie Edgecombe. They spend a lot of time doing maintenance work, fencing or repairs, crutching and working in the yards. One day a week is spent in the classroom with tutor Marty Stallard. A special part of the programme is the first year cadets obtaining a heading pup to look after and train under the guidance of Otawa block manager, Will Hands, who is a dog trialist. When they return in their second year they are mostly working with stock. They have to have a trained Huntaway and are supported in this with a grant from the trust. This second year includes mustering, taking part in animal health practices such as drenching, weighing of stock and the theoretical side of animal management, including pasture management. “We encourage the cadets to enter shearing, fencing and other farming related competitions.” Stock manager, Jack Scahill, who is in his second year of employment by the trust, says the programme creates a strong grounding in all the areas of the station’s operation within the framework of a small intake and a one to three tutor cadet ratio. “That’s probably the biggest point of difference”. “You get a pretty good understanding of the budgeting and your priorities. It’s not just moving sheep and drenching sheep and shifting cattle; they understand why, that’s pretty important for them, they get an understanding of that calendar year”. NGĀPUTAHI “Breeders of Genetically Superior Seedstock” Proud to support Pukemiro Station Forbes Cameron 06 329 4050 | 0275294050 Angus Cameron 06 329 4711 cameronfamily@inspire.net.nz Please scan our QR Code to read our 2022 Bull Data www.ruralaerialcoop.co.nz
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