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16 June 2008

Grape vine pruners and young viticulturists to show their stuff

Hawke’s Bay’s wine industry’s pruners and up and coming viticulturists will be showing what they’re made of in two separate competitions to be held later this month.

The Silver Secateurs Grape Vine Pruning and the Young Viticulturist competitions will be held at Mission Estate Winery on Friday 27 June with the winners proceeding on to the finals at the Romeo Bragato conference in Christchurch in August.

The Young Viticulturist competition, open to entrants up to 31 years had attracted a good mix of first time and repeat entrants of both sexes from Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, said Andrew Curtis, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc. board member and Focus Vineyard representative.

Competitors in the event sponsored by GBG Collard, Markhams, Waterforce, and Ramsey Roundwood will be tested on both practical and theoretical scenarios in the vineyard and later at night in front of an audience at a dinner at Vidal Estate Winery.

The Silver Secateurs competition is open to pruners and vine tyers of all ages in both single and team categories.  Now in its 14th year, this competition recognises that grapevine pruning is an integral management practice required for the production of quality wines.

The Hawke’s Bay Focus Vineyard Research Group will also be holding pruning demonstrations and a workshop in the morning on 27 June ahead of the competitions commencing.  “We had such a positive response to an earlier pruning demonstration that we felt another was warranted and this was a logical day for it,” Mr Curtis said.

Included in the workshop will be a presentation on the current research of vine trunk diseases by Dr Ian Harvey from Plantwise.  Jim Hamilton from Babich Wines will demonstrate best pruning practices while Jonathan Hamlet from Villa Maria Estate will give a spur pruning demonstration and Andrew Stove from Matua Valley Wines will demonstrate four cane pruning.

Last year’s national Young Viticulturist competition winner Emma Taylor, who is part of this year’s organising committee, went on to represent the wine industry and subsequently win the national Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition in 2007.

Contenders will be tested on practical knowledge and theory and will also be required to complete a budgeting exercise, and give a short presentation.

Spectators are welcome at Mission Estate Winery, with the pruning demonstrations and the Young Viticulturist competition starting at 10am.  A hortisport event that is part of the Young Viticulture activities sponsored by Biostart, commences at 12.30pm. 

The Fruitfed Silver Secateurs competition begins at 1pm. 

Tickets for the Hawke’s Bay Young Viticulturist dinner are available at $50 per person from Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc.

For further information contact:

Lyn Bevin
Executive Officer
Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc.
Phone 876 3418 or 027 621 7891

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