44 | nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Reuben & Deb Connolly ‘An amazing committee this year’ Daughter Zoe on the job. A chance to give back to the Dairy Industry awards, and an opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of what happens behind the scenes are just two of the reasons why Reuben and Deb Connolly accepted the challenge of managing this year’s Waikato Dairy Industry Awards. The couple won the Waikato Sharefarmer of the Year award in 2021, and as a natural progression were invited to be Team Leaders for that category in the region’s awards organising committee the following year. “As past winner of the regional sharefarmer of the year award, you are encouraged to take on the Manager’s role,” says Deb. “A lot of our motivation to take the role was about giving back to the industry. Over the years Reuben and I have seen what a positive programme the awards are for the dairy industry and we wanted to keep that going. It was also a great opportunity for us to network with other likeminded people in the industry.” Deb acknowledges that taking the role was also about challenging themselves too. “Running a committee was something that we had never done before. It provided me with an opportunity to really hone my organisational skills. It also taught us a lot about ourselves and what you can achieve and do. We had an amazing committee this year, with some great team work, and it was just a lot of fun.” Reuben agrees, saying their job as regional managers was made so much easier by the great team they had within the committee. “Our job really was to make sure everyone was on board and knew what was going on, and we really wanted the committee to get something out of the experience as well. As a committee we had to do everything from getting the entrants, to getting sponsors, organising a launch event, a sponsors’ and entrants’ event, organising judges, judging times, and then the major event which was the Awards’ dinner itself.” Deb adds that all committee members were really good at pitching in, and volunteering to help whenever it was needed in other areas. “The biggest thing is that you are part of a group of people who are actually really positive and enthusiastic about the dairy industry, and who want to see it grow and thrive.” The successful execution of any major event hinges on how well the individual players gel together as a team, and that has much to do with how fast a positive team culture can be fostered. The role of the leadership cannot be underestimated in providing the glue that makes that culture stick. As affirmation of the Waikato team’s success, alongside Southland/ Otago region, it was jointly awarded the Industry’s Golden Gumboot award, which recognises the committee that adds the most value to the awards’ programme. Having now completed the trifecta of winning the Sharefarmer of the year award, being team leaders and then Regional Managers, Reuben Richard Loader Kurt Dunn Director M 027 4436 878 | E kurt@kdelectrical.info 7 Lawrence St, Otorohanga | PO Box 42, T.A 3840 ELECTRICAL C O MM E R C I A L / R E S I D E N T I A L / R U R A L Farm Maintenance / Cowsheds New Homes / Alterations / Rewires OTOROHANGA 9 Wahanui Crescent | 07 873 7089 OPENING HOURS: Mon - Fri 8am to 5pm Sat 9am to Midday 24 / 7 EMERGENCY - PHONE 0800 843 838 Reuben & Deb Connolly happy calves feeding. says he and Deb are happy to help out as required in the future, but it is important for others to have the same opportunities they have had.
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