Conference Outcomes and New National Board 2024

In this blog we have the outcomes of the 76th AGM voted on by our branches and newly elected board. For a full conference report, keep an eye out in the next edition of our very own H&W magazine.

AGM Outcomes 2024

Capitation 2025/26

Capitation approved at conference - fees apply from 1 Feb 2025.

National Board 2024/25

Following election of officers the NZDA Board for 2024/25 is confirmed as:

Callum Sheridan – National President

Craig Benbow – Immediate Past President

Hamish Orr – Vice President

Tim Taylor – North Island Representative

Trevor Gratton – North Island Representative

Richard Wells – South Island Representative

Mark Elliotte – South Island Representative

Ash Foley – Board Member

Brian Ferris – Board Member

Willy Iglesias – Board Member

2024 National Board Elected

NZDA National Board, photographed at the 76th Conference and AGM in July 2024.

Yet another NZDA year has passed us by. Our conference hosted by the Hutt Valley branch was a great success, showcasing the NZDA through a hunting and wildlife expo to the general public was truly great to see. the NZDA and hunting sectors collaboration, traditions and culture on full show. Thankyou to all the volunteers at Hutt valley and our national office team for pulling it all together.

Our photographic and AHT competitions were a great success with some fantastic photos and 65 entries in the AHT with some real quality heads, especially the Tahr, Fallow 9as per), Rusa and one outstandingly symmetrical Red!.

This year’s AGM saw some change in the board including myself being voted in as National President, thank you to all those individuals and branches that have supported me into this role.

The new board members are a really strong team with a great skill set, I’m looking forward to getting to work at a governance level and assisting our CEO and staff to continue achieving above and beyond.

My first week as President saw myself our IPP and CEO meet with the conservation minister Tama Potaka for the first time. Followed by a catch up with Nicole Mckee, it was a productive first meeting for myself at the Beehive, I look forward to further engagement at this level on behalf of our members.

As I write this I am a day or so away from attending the animal council 10 year anniversary, again at Parliament, followed by kick ons at Deerstalkers house. It’s a privilege to be in a position to host such an event and be part of a sector in such a great place.

To all our members, branches and the general hunting public, please don’t be shy to get in contact with any feedback you may have, I welcome it all.

I’m excited to begin this new chapter advocating for the Hunters, Shooters and outdoors people of New Zealand.

I didn't grow up with any family members involved in hunting or shooting, so I was a bit of a late bloomer. It wasn’t until 2008 when I was in my early thirties that a good friend of mine introduced me to small game hunting. He took me possum shooting on his family land. After that first time, he kept on at me to get my FALIC, so eventually I did.

My skill set

Over the years, with three NZDA Branches I have taken every opportunity to up skill. It’s these skills that I believe make me a suitable candidate for the National NZDA Board;

- Range Officer

- HUNTS Instructor

- Range Officer Trainer

- Police Shooting Range Inspector

- Douglas scorer

- HUNTS Assessor

- Experience in three NZDA Branches and their committees

- Held most positions on club committee

I'm a team player and believe I can fit in with whomever to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation. I felt quite honoured to have been approached to put my name forward for the position of National Vice President. Now that I have been elected, I look forward to the new challenges that it will bring.

In addition to advocating for hunters, obviously, with my background, the two key areas I'm most passionate about are range shooting competitions and the HUNTS programme. I love getting out in the hills and my absolute favourite type of hunting is for Tahr. Being a North Islander, that takes a little bit more planning.

So here I am, ready to accept a new challenge, and I hope what you know about me is enough to make you feel confident you backed the right horse. It was really unfortunate I was sick during the conference and could not attend. I'm always happy to have a chat with like minded people, so if any of you want to ask me anything,  please feel free to give me a bell in the evenings or flick me an email. I look forward to meeting a lot of you in person in due course.

Recuperating from a nasty bug that seems to have done the rounds post Conference has provided a bit of time to gather my wits. At risk of repetition a chance to thank Hutt Valley for pulling out all the stops on the event, thanks for the past work of Board members Ian and Craig, and welcome new members Mark and Hamish (and of course Callum to his new role as President!). The hard work by all those who contributed to the success of the AGM, Conference and Expo aside, a special thanks to John Taylor, our new Secretary upon whom much rests during proceedings, great job for first time around JT!

I was personally very pleased with the presentations from Kaylyn, Cam, Roy and Pete Caldwell, that linked Herds of Special Interest and our research, and what this means for our future. Evidence-based management is key to both HoSI processes and informed animal management full stop. To have these presentations delivered with DOC, GAC and others in the room is extremely valuable – they certainly were not subliminal messages!

At the Board meeting preconference we finalised our National Access Committee members, being myself (Chair for this next 12 months) Tim Taylor (Board), Alan Drake (South Island) and Gordon Kuggeleijn (North Island). Craig Benbow is, thankfully, sticking with us with all his past and current knowledge and information. As a small group we are starting off carefully and currently listing around 20 issues/problems nationwide (10 majors and 10 minors) to focus on. If anyone has any access issues they wish to raise, they can email myself or Tim in the first instance. We will have set up an access email address to which members can send in queries or issues.

So…..I’m looking forward to the next 12 months of supporting the furthering of the cause of NZDA nationally and regionally.

I have relevant, proven governance & management experience & have the time available to positively contribute to the NZDA Board’s governance.

I was an Accountant for the first 10 years of my career, however for the last 30 years I’ve been involved in the rural sector managing my own Grain & Seed business in Timaru, followed by being the General Manager nationally, of the Grain & Seed Division in CRT & then Farmlands & a member of both Executives. I have been semi-retired since 2019

I’ve been the Chairman & a Director on a privately owned Plant Breeding company for 10 years, Chairman on the Timaru Boys’ High School Board for 5 of 7 years & a Director on the Oat Industry Group Board for over 20 years.

I now live in Wanaka & enjoy being in the outdoors - hunting, fishing & pest trapping & enabling others to enjoy the same opportunities.

I have hunted around a lot of the lower South Island enjoying several trips to the Caples valley & Stewart Island, & go hunting weekly for rabbits, geese & goats around the Central Otago area.

I’ve been on the Upper Clutha Deerstalkers Committee for 4 years & am in my 3rd year as President.
Prior to living in Wanaka, I had been a member of the South Canterbury Deerstalkers Branch when my 3 adult sons were teenagers & regularly hunting.

I am looking forward to getting more involved in some of the challenges facing hunters today, including the Fiordland Wapiti herd management, Tahr herd management, the use of 1080 by DoC, access issues & firearms legislation changes etc that all need continued lobbying on.

I want to contribute through a common-sense, collaborative approach in helping to ensure the ongoing opportunity to go hunting with the current range of game animals on public land.

The Association also faces its own challenges with needing more members to reach it’s potential, as it currently only represents approx. 10% of NZ’s licenced firearms owners.
How does it become relevant to the other 220,000 firearm licence holders?

At Branch level there is a lot of duplication in work going on, that other branches also do, regarding sourcing guest speakers & activities for General meetings, organising hunts, newsletters etc & this is an area where information should be being shared to reduce workloads & make it easier for our volunteers.