About James
2026 Tairāwhiti Gisborne Regional Winner
James is a dedicated crop manager with Wi Pere Trust who has grown his horticulture career from a summer nursery job into managing a diverse portfolio of crops across the business. Starting out grafting citrus trees in a nursery, he worked his way up from a casual orchard worker to now overseeing 30 hectares of apples, along with blueberry, citrus, and nursery operations. Recognised with the Emerging Leader Award from Citrus New Zealand, James is passionate about learning, problem-solving, and improving orchard efficiency. He enjoys the variety horticulture offers and values the opportunity to work alongside people across the sector. Outside of work, James plays and coaches' hockey and enjoys spending time on the golf course.
