Two Canterbury journalists scooped most of the awards at the annual awards night for the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators.

The supreme award, \ the Bank of New Zealand Rongo Award recognising excellence in agricultural journalism, was won by North Canterbury freelance journalist and director Tony Benny for two episodes of Country Calendar, ‘Noble Deer’ and ‘Flea Bay’. One of the two independent judges described them as “both superb examples of the Country Calendar genre, informative, quirky, beautifully shot and neatly packaged. Stories unfold gracefully, moving from subject to subject through three segments. Tony has discovered, scripted and directed wonderful stories. A special mention of velveting explained and defended, which is edgy television.”

Runner up in the Rongo Award was Tim Cronshaw, from The Press, for two articles,  ‘A Long Way from Remuera’,  and ‘Meat in the Sandwich’, which were described by one judge as “staple farm features for The Press, well-executed and very informative. Two contrasting features both well-crafted. What links them is candour, from Christine Fernyhough,  and from Eoin Garden and Keith Cooper, of which Tim has made excellent use at length,” he wrote.

Six awards were presented, five for journalism and one for photography. The key objectives of the awards are the encouragement and recognition of excellence in agricultural journalism.

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the Guild’s establishment, and to help mark the 50^th jubilee, Rural Women New Zealand introduced a new award designed to recognise the contribution made by women in rural communities.   The winner of the Rural Women of New Zealand Award was Tony Benny for two Country Calendar programmes, ‘Woolly Wonder’ and ‘Penguin Paradise’.  Runner up was Tim Cronshaw, of The Press, for two articles, ‘ A Long Way From Remuera’, and ‘Stepping Stones to Prosperity’.

It is several years since the Guild has run an agribusiness writing award, and with a new sponsor for this, AGMARDT, the award attracted nine entries. It was won by  Tony Benny for two Country Calendar programmes, ‘Woolly Wonders’ and ‘Two to Tango’.

The AgResearch Science Writers Award was established to enhance standards of science writing, especially about pastoral agriculture, and was won by Tim Cronshaw from The Press, for two articles, ‘ Fine Art of the Ultimate Fleece’, and ‘Unlocking the Fading Secret’.

The Bank of New Zealand also sponsors the Farm Business Writing Award, established to recognise high quality writing about farm business.  This was also won by Tim Cronshaw, of The Press, for two articles, ‘Make Detail Count’, and ‘Value Added’.

The Federated Farmers Rural Photography Award was won by Craig Simcox, of The Dominion Post, for a photograph of a Gladstone farmer welcoming some drought-breaking rain in December last year.