Pork industry celebrates up and coming talent

28 August 2026

Congratulations to Ben Carter and Gary Thomas, joint winners of the 2026 Stockperson of the Year Award, announced at the NZ Pork conference in Christchurch recently.

Sector Adviser Adrienne Dempsey presented the award to Ben (right) and Gary (left)

The award recognises standout learners who have completed the New Zealand Certificate in Pork Production (Level 3) through Primary ITO.

The industry-recognised qualification contains essential knowledge and skills for pig farmers, including animal welfare, biosecurity, and sow, piglet and farrowing care.

Primary ITO administers the programme and provides learning resources, while NZ Pork looks after delivery and assessment. 

Primary ITO’s Adrienne Dempsey presented the award to Ben and Gary, with a commendation going to Marco Fronteras from Pastoral Pork. Learners are nominated by their employer, with entries judged by NZ Pork and Primary ITO.

“The calibre of learners was very high this year, so this is a fantastic achievement,” Adrienne says. “They put in the hard yards, and all three engaged well with their training.” 

Ben Carter works at Kevmarc Farms

Ben Carter works at Kevmarc Farms, a piggery and bull operation owned by his father Ian Carter, near Oamaru. He enrolled in Primary ITO training to grow his knowledge and connect with local pig farmers.

“The training is a good baseline for the industry, with lots of the basic stuff leading on to more advanced knowledge at the end. I found the farrowing module interesting and the feed and nutrient requirements. It was also a chance to meet other pig farmers.”

Ben was nominated for the award by his bosses, Ian and Nicky.

“I knew I was in the running,” Ben says. “It was pretty cool hearing my name called out and going up to get the award. Thanks to Ian and Nicky for nominating me!”

NZ Pork and the New Zealand Pig Breeders’ Association provided a $500 prize to both winners, which Ben says was “a nice little bonus”.

“This was the first time I’ve been to a NZ Pork conference while working at the piggery and where I’ve been more involved. There were some good informative presenters and the venue at the new stadium in Christchurch was awesome. I enjoyed meeting pig farmers from all over the country and sharing ideas on what they do and how they do it.”

Gary Thomas is a herd manager at Rawhiti Pork

Gary Thomas is a herd manager at Rawhiti Pork in Te Aroha, Waikato. He’s worked in the industry for seven years and enrolled in Primary ITO training to further himself and his knowledge of pigs.

“I found the training really good and enjoyed learning from the course tutors Kirsty and Ian,” Gary says. “The knowledge has been useful in my role, and I’d recommend it for anyone wanting to learn more about a piggery, animal welfare and food consumption. It was also interesting to learn about the farrowing and gestation side.”

Gary was thrilled to win the Stockperson of the Year Award and wanted to acknowledge those who helped him throughout his training.

“Thank you so much to Primary ITO and NZ Pork for this award. I am truly honoured to be recognised among so many dedicated people in our industry. Working with pigs in New Zealand is a real passion. It requires patience, hard work, and a genuine commitment to animal welfare – something our piggery takes incredible pride in.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to my boss Thomas Nabbs for putting me on the course. And a big thank you to my manager Misael Abellanosa for his support, guidance and for teaching me the ropes. I’d like to thank my tutors Kirsty Chidgey and Ian Barugh, who helped guide me through the course. I look forward to continuing to grow my skills and contributing to the future of the NZ pork industry.”

Dr Kirsty Chidgey, Animal Welfare Science Adviser at NZ Pork, says choosing an award winner was tough this year, with such engaged learners in both the North Island and South Island classes.

“Ben is the next generation working on the family farm. His nominator described him as having a hunger for knowledge and a solid work ethic. He is keen to progress further in the industry and is always looking at ways to improve productivity on farm. 

“Gary introduced himself at his first class as having always wanted to work on a pig farm. His employer noted that the course helped strengthen his confidence by understanding the theory and then applying his learning within his role. Receiving Gary’s evidence for his on-job skills was something I looked forward to, he was always smiling on the job!”

Primary ITO’s Adrienne Dempsey says working with NZ Pork ensures the pork training is at the cutting edge of new developments and latest industry standards around animal welfare.

“It’s a great collaborative approach.”

Find information about pork training on our website here.

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