2005 - Dean AstillView the 2005 - Dean Astill winners of the Young Horticulturist competition

Winner: Dean Astill, fresh produce exporter for Turners and Growers in the Hawkes Bay. Dean received a sponsored place on the AGMARDT FAME course in 2007. Dean is now operates his own fresh produce company from the Hawkes Bay with a colleague from T&G.

Second: Paul Jameson, Nursery Manager for Waimea Nurseries, Nelson. He is responsible for up to 100 staff and producing around 500,000 fruit trees and 100,000 ornamentals annually.

Third: Nikki Taylor (NZ Rec Ass’n- Amenity Horticulture).  Now a mother and a part time lecturer at MIT School of Horticulture.

Unplaced finalists

• Tyron Vakapuna (Arboriculture), Guardian Tree Services Palmerston North
• Cameron McLean, Landscaping NZ, Morgan and Pollard Landscapes, Christchurch