Mar 13, 2025
Rising Stars – A Night at the Races
The last of the velvet and hard antler competitions – the CK Import Export Rising Stars competition – was held on Saturday 8 March at the Te Awamutu racecourse for the third year. Judging was carried out on the Thursday and Friday and covered 91 entries across 11 classes.
As with all of these events, it’s a chance to get off farm and catch up with other farmers, although this year there were a few notable absences of long-standing participants (hopefully they’ll be back in person next year). However encouragingly there were several new (and young) faces.
Last year’s competition featured South Island entries grabbing a good share of the placings in many of the classes, but this year in the hard antler classes it was almost all Crowley Deer taking out four of the six classes (five if you leave out the Fallow class). However the velvet and elk hard antler classes were dominated by South Island entries with Brock Deer, Littlebourne and Edendale taking the honours.
A special mention was Simone Hoskin taking a well-earned second place in the two-year red velvet class – proving that commercial farms are producing top-quality velvet.
Well done to all the entrants and thanks as always to the Waipa branch and competition organisers (Helen, Jacqui and the whole team).
Some of the hard antler on display - you won't see this anywhere else in the world!
Photo Credit: Lindsay Fung
The master and the apprentice. Vanessa Crowley explains all things velvet to Andy Duncan.
Photo credit: Lindsay Fung
Mark Mccoard kicking off the evening dinner.
Photo credit: Lindsay Fung
4-year hard antler winners - the Crowleys and the Cowleys, Crowley Deer (1st, 2nd)
Rockvale Deer (3rd)
Photo credit: Lindsay Fung
Surpreme trophy Award (Crowley Deer). Hub Hall and Todd Crowley.
Photo credit: Lindsay Fung
