Ms Bulk, who is the assistant viticulturist at Felton Road, in Bannockburn, represented the viticultural sector at the national competition through her win of the Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year competition, in August.
For the Horticulturist of the Year event she competed against five other finalists from other horticultural sectors - Landscaping NZ, Horticulture NZ, NZ Plant Producers, NZ Flower Growers and NZ Amenity Horticulture.
The contestants were tested in depth on a range of skills and knowledge, from their own sector and also irrigation and technology, botany, machinery, bees and biosecurity, fertilisers and soils, HR, agchem, first aid, leadership skills, presentation skills, budgeting and community engagement.
They also had to submit a business plan for a new product they would like to develop and launch, and give a speech at the awards dinner.
Ms Bulk's prize package included a $7500 travel package, $3500 Riversun Nursery Scholarship and $1000 ICL Specialty fertilisers.
Ms Bulk also won the Fruitfed Supplies Leadership Award, the Horticentre Trust Community Engagement Award and came second in the AGMARDT innovation project, within the competition.
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Comments
Great achievement. But it is also worthwhile to note, certain wineries and fruit exporters fund the bulk of this contest, so it's no surprises it usually is the viticulture or horticulture contestants that win it (been to one, highly geared towards the major sponsors fields)