21 May 2026 - Industry Awards Dinner
Concluding the NZ Plant Producers Conference & Awards, we celebrated outstanding industry contributions at our Industry Awards Dinner at the premium Karaka Pavilion thoroughbred venue. In an unforgettable evening, ‘The Night at the Races’ theme gave everyone the chance to win with a ‘virtual’ bet on the horses.
The NZ Plant Producers Industry Awards dinner opened with the 'Night at the Races' theme
Located at Karaka Pavilion in South Auckland, New Zealand's premium thoroughbred venue, punters got their race totes clipped for the 'virtual' horse races
Plant producers had the edge with the Karaka Classic racing form guide
MC John Walsh kicked off the horse races
Matthew Dalton from Platinum Sponsor Daltons
The crowd of almost 120 guests enjoying the industry awards dinner
The winners celebrate!
Each table had its own horse, from the Karaka history stables - this is Verry Elleegant
The winning table was Bonecrusher in an exciting photo finish
The Bonecrusher table's prize was a donation on behalf of the plant production industry to Big Jim Garden Centre's Pink Ribbon Breakfast fundraiser for the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation
Horticentre's Marco van den Berg spoke on behalf of the NZ Young Plant Producer main sponsor the Horticentre Charitable Trust
Clayton Hart from Rainbow Park Nurseries is announced the NZ Young Plant Producer of the Year 2026
Winner NZ Young Plant Producer of the Year Clayton Hart
Winner Fraser Award Keenan Tuwhangai of Annton Nursery
Winner Sustainable Futures Award Andrew Tayler of Rainbow Park Nurseries
Winner Industry Award Des Snell of Commercial Horticulture magazine
NZPPI Chief Executive Matthew Dolan presents the Life Member Award to Mike Simpson
Waimea Nurseries' Mike Simpson celebrates his Life Member Award
A standing ovation for Mike Simpson's extraordinary contribution to the plant production industry