The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and CowManager have partnered again to bring game-changing technology to a Share Farmer entrant, allowing them to progress their farming journey with more advanced tools.
CowManager has committed as a national sponsor of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) for another three years.
The NZDIA programme comprises 60 events across 11 regions, culminating in the National Gala Dinner in May.
CowManager’s national sponsorship supports these regional events and the grand prize pool at the Nationals Gala Dinner which includes a two-year CowManager Experience for the Share Farmer of the Year category.
NZDIA General Manager Robin Congdon commended CowManager for their support to the awards programme and for bringing such a valuable prize to the table again.
“We are thrilled to announce CowManager has extended its partnership for another three years. This means that the game-changing system will be available to deserving winners on farms for the next three years.”
The winners of the CowManager Experience prize will receive the CowManager Performance+ monitoring platform, giving them access to valuable herd data as well as support from their own CowManager Performance Specialist. Their specialist will help them understand and interpret the information, so they can use it to make informed on-farm decisions and support the growth of their business.
That combination of technology, practical support and learning closely reflects what the NZDIA programme is all about,” Congdon said.
CowManager Managing Director Jared Bekhuis said one of the most rewarding parts of partnering with NZDIA was seeing how the winners used CowManager in their own farming operation.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards for another three years. The programme plays an important role in developing the next generation of dairy leaders, and we’re excited to help put practical technology and meaningful herd information into the hands of people working towards farm ownership.
“They’re ambitious, forward-thinking farmers, and it’s great to see the technology helping them and their teams understand their herd better, save time and plan for what’s next.”
NZDIA Trust Chair Paulette Johns said the CowManager team has brought fantastic energy to the programme events in the last three years, injecting a lot of passion and support for the entrants.
She emphasised how valuable it was for companies like CowManager to be supporting the NZDIA awards programme and in doing so the growth and education of future farm owners.
“In supporting the Dairy Industry Awards programme as a whole, CowManager is committing to the future of the dairy industry and to tomorrow’s farmers.
“Our programme follows people right through from trainee, manager, share farmers and on to farm ownership. Having sponsorship commitment for three years helps us plan across the 11 regions, and to attract quality entrants, so they can develop and progress in their farming careers.
“CowManager is a global company that is delivering herd data and information and shaping the way we farm. This kind of technology is what our entrants will be farming with in the future and we are grateful for their support.”
Inaugural winners, Rerewhakaaitu farmers Paul and Sarah Koopal won CowManager for three seasons and now in their last season using the system say it will be a no-brainer to keep the technology in their farm business after experiencing the results.
The couple are now equity owners in their 580-cow farm and say the system gives them and their staff invaluable visibility across their herd.
The ear-tag sensors have made mating a breeze, allowing more time off during mating, while maintaining excellent reproduction results.
Once Paul started dissecting all the health data, he was able to make impactful decisions about feed and nutrition, he said.
“It’s made a massive difference to monitoring the health of our herd, especially around calving, and the transitioning of cows.
“The team at CowManager are great at deep diving into the data as well and have helped us understand what’s happened during the season and what we can do better.”
Entries for the 2026/27 season open on October 5.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors ASB, CowManager, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Honda, LIC, and Power Farming, along with industry partners Fonterra, DairyNZ, The Country and The Herald.
