Show Personality Awards
2025 Show Bayleys Matson & Allan Outstanding Young Achiever
Harry Maddox is an outstanding young local who continued to make impressive progress both personally and professionally over the past year. At just 23, Harry worked full-time for Bailey Farming Company as a tractor driver, where he is known for his reliability, strong work ethic, and willingness to take on a wide range of on-farm responsibilities.
Over the summer months, he also works with Ellesmere Agriculture Ltd, further expanding his practical experience and skill set within the rural sector. Harry shows exceptional drive and initiative. He has taken on the lease of a 40-hectare farm, purchased his first home and entered the Young Grower Competition — all significant milestones that reflect his ambition and commitment to the industry. His involvement now extends nationally through his role on the Potatoes NZ Youth Council, where he contributes to supporting and representing young people in horticulture. Beyond his professional achievements, Harry is an active member of the community. He helps out at the Southbridge Rugby Football Club and volunteers with the Southbridge Fire Brigade, demonstrating his community spirit and willingness to give back.
Well-known and well-liked throughout the district, Harry is respected for his positive attitude, approachable nature and the way he leads by example. He embodies the values of hard work, initiative, and community involvement that the Bayleys Matson & Allan Outstanding Young Achiever Award seeks to recognise. He represents the future of the local rural industry and is a highly deserving winner of the 2025 award.
2025 Personality of the Show
Stu Donald was celebrated as the Personality of the Show in 2025, recognised for his longstanding leadership and exceptional contribution to vintage machinery exhibiting. For decades, he had presented an extensive range of vintage equipment, always restored and displayed to an outstanding standard. His live demonstrations and strong support of the grand parade consistently drew crowds and helped anchor the Show’s heritage identity.
As the longtime organiser of the Show’s vintage section, Stu manages one of its largest andmost complex areas. Exhibitor numbers, machinery logistics, and live demonstrations are all coordinated seamlessly under his direction, making the vintage section a major contributor to recent Show success. He also served on the 150th Jubilee Show Committee, reflecting his deep and dedicated commitment to the Association.
Stu invested significant volunteer time upgrading the old pavilion windows, improving the building’s longevity. As President of the Ellesmere Vintage Club, he played a key role in organising the vintage display for the Association’s 150th celebrations, including the standout 2022 lineup featuring more than a dozen traction engines and multiple working demonstrations such as the thrashing mill and chaff cutter, for which he supplied oats.
Generous with his time, fundraising, and community support — while running Donalds Joinery —Stu is widely regarded as an exceptional and highly deserving award recipient.
2025 Outstanding Long Service Award
Neville Greenwood was honoured with the Long Service Award at the 2025 Ellesmere A&P Show, recognising an extraordinary 75‑year association with the event. Based in the Ellesmere district, Neville has been a cornerstone of the Sheep Section, exhibiting a wide range of sheep with skill and dedication. Over the decades, he served as steward, judge, and committee member, earning deep respect from exhibitors and organisers alike.
Beyond the show ring, Neville contributed tirelessly to the Ellesmere A&P Association, taking part in working bees and committee duties that keeps the Show thriving. His loyalty and hands‑on involvement reflects a lifetime of commitment to the Association’s aims and community spirit, being a previous President and now a Patron. Fellow members describe him as a long‑time supporter who has “helped out for decades,” ensuring the smooth running and enduring success of the Show.
His dedication embodies the heart of the Ellesmere Show — tradition, craftsmanship and community pride. This award marks a fitting tribute to a man whose
2024 Show Personalities Awarded for Contributions
2023 Show Personalities Awarded for Contributions
The Ellesmere A & P Association and Show benefits significantly from many people helping, entering and supporting the many different aspects of Show day planning and organisation. To recognise the input of the people who are key parts of the day, the A & P Association awards people each year for their major contributions. This year has been no different with three people being recognised.
This year Richard Turner was named the Bayleys Matson and Allan Outstanding Young Achievers Award recipient. On finishing school, Richard attended Lincoln University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. After completing his degree he wanted to get back in touch with having a physical role and worked for Quigley Contracting in Ashburton and Mid Canterbury. From there he worked his way through the dairy industry within a very short time frame and is now the Operations Manager for a major dairy farm system at Rakaia Island Ltd. Richard possesses excellent leadership skills and shows a maturity beyond his years being only still in his mid-twenties. He demonstrates strong community awareness with a bright outlook on the future of farming and community leadership.
The Chris Abbott Memorial Trophy for Long Service Show Day Supporter was awarded to Alisdair ‘Speed’ McIlraith. Speed has been a long term exhibitor in the sheep and lamb classes. A previous General Committee member, past president of the show (1998), he also became an A & P Association Patron in 2020. Along with his wife Paula (first female President), they have been exhibiting at the event for 52 years. His daughter Tracy is also carrying on the family tradition and is currently the Junior Vice President of the Show. In amongst this dedicated commitment to the Association, Speed has also managed to make time for sheep judging elsewhere in New Zealand and Australia (Melbourne and Perth). His keen interest in such events has also taken him to events around the world such as the Edinburgh Show (Scotland), and Canada’s Calgary Stampede and Orange State Fair. With his larger than life personality, Speed epitomises the essence of the quintessential Show Day character.
Jo Jermyn Benny was named Personality of the 2023 Show and received the trophy kindly donated by A & P McIlraith. This award is for a prominent personality who has shown commitment to the Ellesmere A & P Association over a considerable time. Jo comes from a family very involved with Shows and was a natural supporter of her husband Andrew who had the task as President of leading the Association during the COVID era, being tasked with the President’s role for two years instead of just the one. Her most notable achievement though has been penning the latest chapter/s of the Associations 150th book. This was a tremendous undertaking while also supporting Andrew through the Presidency years. Jo also helped to organising the re-publications of earlier historical books written for previous Association anniversaries, culminating in a fantastic new edition covering all 150 years. Coupled with this Jo is also an excellent supporter of the Ellesmere Historical Society, being not only the organisation’s secretary but also an avid contributor to the Society events, tours and displays – including those at the Show.
The Ellesmere A & P Association are extremely grateful for the dedicated service and time the award winners have given to making the Show the event it is today.
The Ellesmere A & P Association and Show benefits significantly from many people helping, entering and supporting the many different aspects of Show day planning and organisation. To recognise the input of the people who are key parts of the day, the A & P Association awards people each year for their major contributions. This year has been no different with three people being recognised.
This year Tom Rathgen was named the Bayleys Matson and Allan Outstanding Young Achievers Award recipient. Tom is a highly accomplished fencer; having competed regionally and nationally and notably winning the NZ Young Farmer Fencing Competition in 2024. He leads a fencing team within a well-respected and established family business in not only Ellesmere but Canterbury – Rathgen Fencing Limited. For a young man, he already has a wealth of experience in fencing, farming, competing, volunteering, teaching and sharing his skills with others. Tom’s not afraid to extend himself and face challenges head on – taking pride in his work and what he can contribute to his community. He is a keen educator, teaching fencing to enthusiastic students at Ellesmere College, and has taken the opportunity this year to spearhead the new competition at the Ellesmere A & P Show 2024 – the ‘Down to the Wire’ Fencing Competition. This competition showcased not only adults but also the keen young fencers that Tom has been teaching at the College. Tom certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
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