14 | RURAL PEOPLE » Guy and Kathryn Wigley Commitment and passion drive success Guy and Kathryn farm 510 hectares near Waimate. Karen Phelps Waimate arable farmers Guy and Kathryn Wigley are proud to have been named a finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Arable Awards in the Grower of the Year - Cereal award, recognition Guy says which represents a lifetime of commitment to an industry they are passionate about. “It means a lot to us personally. We absolutely love the arable industry and I enjoy working with my fellow farmers to try and find solutions to the problems of the day. We’ve always tried to take a positive view of the arable industry and what it can contribute to the rural and New Zealand economies.” Guy and Kathryn farm 510 hectares near Waimate running an intensive mixed-cropping operation focused mainly on wheat, ryegrass seed and oilseed rape complemented by lamb finishing and grazing. The Grower of the Year - Cereal award recognises arable farmers who demonstrate strong management and skill in cereal production, achieving excellent yields and quality. For Guy a key secret to successful yields and quality is the Waimate district. “We have a mild coastal climate, reliable rainfall, the clay downs is good for growing and we are sheltered from the Nor West.” He also believes early sowing is crucial. He aims to have all his wheat in the ground by April 3. “It gives more time to grow and good resilience to climate fluctuations, giving the best opportunity to be successful,” he says. “The value of this approach was clear during a very wet autumn last year when farmers who delayed sowing were forced to plant in spring and faced significant yield penalties.” The Wigleys came fourth recently in the South Canterbury A & P Association wheat competition and was the leading non irrigated wheat yield. Guy says the results demonstrate the potential of South Canterbury’s arable sector. “We’ve grown all manner of crops over the years but have always found wheat to be the most reliable for this area,” he says. “The profitability of growing crops in a non-irrigated system is definitely there. With an autumn sown programme we don’t need rain from the end of December to end of March to grow successfully.” For Guy, being named a finalist is particularly meaningful after decades spent farming and working across the arable sector. He has held numerous leadership and governance roles including South Canterbury Provincial President of Federated Farmers, chair of its South Canterbury Arable Industry Group and a Federated Farmers national board member. He is a past director of the Foundation for Arable Research and United Wheat Growers Ltd. His industry involvement has also included working with government agencies on biosecurity issues, agricultural regulation and environmental challenges. He remains active in his local community as well as the wider farming community sitting on the local water catchment committee and being a Waimate Civil Defence co-ordinator. Guy credits Kathryn with playing a pivotal role in the operation’s success and strategic decision making. “I can’t underestimate her contribution to our very rewarding cropping operation.” m k
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