31 July 1992 Cheviot's Tim and Helen Ensor Prize-Winners in Lincoln Farmer of the Decade Competition

Third place in the Lincoln University Foundation's Farmer of the Decade competition has gone to Tim and Helen Ensor of "Jedburgh", Cheviot.

The couple, who have been settled in North Canterbury since 1973 when they purchased the 700- hectare Jedburgh property, won a $2500 overseas travel award, courtesy of the Rural Bank.

The competition was won by Methven specialist small seed growers Colin and Jocelyn Lill, with dairy farmers Peter and Sonia Glaister of Balclutha runners-up.

The competition was decided at Lincoln University when six finalists from 17 entrants came together to present illustrated talks on their farming operations. Prior to this each of the finalist's properties had been visited by judges and their performance details analysed.

The Lincoln University Foundation's competition, open to South Island farmers, is an annual one but as this is its 10th year the title Farmer of the Decade was used.

Tim and Helen made their presentation along with the other finalists before an audience of over 200 which included past Dominion presidents of Federated Farmers Sir Peter Elworthy and Sir Allan Wright (who is now the Chancellor of Lincoln University).

The chairman of the foundation, Wellington agricultural consultant John Nimmo, praised the high standard of the finalists and noted a number of features common to their characters and careers.

They all possessed vision, set themselves high performance goals and targets, were very aware of the customer and market place, showed independence of thought, had the ability to identify opportunities and grasp them, gave attention to detail, carried out sound planning and financial management, and above all faced up to hard work, he said.

The Ensors, who also operate the 290-hectare Jedburgh Plains property, purchased in 1990, are best known for the development of the "Como" or Corriedale/Merino cross.

Sheep and wool have always fascinated Tim. On leaving school in 1958 with the ambition to go farming he completed the Lincoln wool course then built up what was reputed to be the best wool classing run in the South Island.

He first started farming on his own account in 1967 and set about breeding a sheep which he hoped would be superior to the traditional half-bred and Corriedale sheep run on the hills of North Canterbury. He had the consistent aim of producing a sheep that had wool as near as possible in character and quality to the Merino, with a carcass that was still acceptable to the meat trade.

It is in following this vision that he has produced the "Como".

From the Jedburgh Plains property the couple have had marked success with their rams and this year Jedburgh 290/90 won the Gold Medal in the four ram section at the National Golden Fleece Competition and First Prize at the Massey Wool Conference. He cut 14kg of wool in 14 months and has a micron of 25.

In his philosophy of life Tim sees hard work and steady plodding as leading to success and prosperity; idle speculation leads to ruin, he says.

In his presentation at Lincoln he paid tribute to the loyalty and hard work of Helen, children Anna, Ben and Tom, and staff members Colin, "an experienced stockman who came to us for two months in 1976 and is still with us", and Kevin who oversees Jedburgh Plains.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand