Soil Judging Competition 2024 – Celebrating Excellence in Soil Science!

The 2024 Soil Judging Competition was the largest one of its kind to date. It has been a remarkable display of talent, expertise, and collaboration across Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. This year’s competition brought together 35 teams made up of over 140 students and professionals in soil science to challenge their knowledge and skills in the field of soil and land surveying. The event was not only a competition but also a valuable opportunity for participants to network, share knowledge, and deepen their understanding of soil science. 

What is Soil Judging? 

Soil judging is a unique and dynamic competition where participants are tasked with identifying soil types, describing soil profiles, and making land management recommendations based on their findings. Teams and individuals must apply both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assess soil characteristics such as texture, structure, colour, and horizon development. It’s a real-world exercise in soil science that tests the participants’ ability to make informed decisions about soil management, which is critical for agriculture, environmental management, and land restoration. 

The competition also fosters an environment for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Networking events like the Soil Judging Competition provide valuable opportunities for students, professionals, and researchers to connect with others in the soil science community. These exchanges not only enhance technical knowledge but also build relationships that can lead to future collaborations, job opportunities, and the growth of the field as a whole. As soil science is fundamental to tackling global challenges such as food security, climate change, and land degradation, these events play an essential role in building a stronger, more connected network of soil experts. 

Competition Winners

Basalt-n-Pepper on competition day

University Teams

1st Place: Basalt-n-Pepper (Lincoln University) 

  • Tess Brown 
  • Meila Picard 
  • Lauren Roberts 
  • Kate Sheehy 

 

2nd Place: Fertile Minds (Lincoln University) 

  • Beaulah Pragg 
  • Maxwell Singers 
  • Kaitlin Watson 
  • Kayley Wiffen
  •  

3rd Place: University of Sydney 

  • James Garnsey 
  • Minca Mellen 
  • Ava Robertson 
  • Teale Simmons 
  • Tom Swan 

University Individuals

1st Place:

Teale Simmons (University of Sydney) 

2nd Place:

Oliver Arnold (Massey University) 

3rd Place:

Maille Todd (Monash University) & Ethan Potgieter (University of New England) 

Working Professionals Teams

Sore Loesses at the competition site

1st Place: Sore Loesses 

  • Alice Wheatley-Wilson (Waikato Regional Council) 
  • Hadee Thompson-Morrison (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) 
  • Holly Fleming (Terra Pura Consulting Limited) 
  • Robyn Simcock (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) 

 

2nd Place: CSIRO 

  • Erinne Stirling 
  • James Moloney 
  • Stirling Roberton 
  • Uta Stockmann 

 

3rd Place: Young in Soil and Earth Science Society SA 

  • Bonnie Armour (Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board) 
  • Emily Leyden (The University Of Adelaide) 
  • Liam Thompson (Landloch Pty Ltd) 
  • Richard Koech (Central Queensland University) 

Working Professionals Individuals

1st Place:

Judith Van Dijk (Babbage Consultants) 

2nd Place:

Haidee Thompson-Morrison (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) 

3rd Place:

Alice Wheatley-Wilson (Waikato Regional Council) 

All 3 South Pacific Island teams at the practise site

South Pacific Island Teams

1st Place: Pacific 1 

  • Sili’a To’o Perez (The University of The South Pacific) 
  • Simon Iro Sefa (Massey University) 
  • Sootino Marcallonlani Taungakava (The University of The South Pacific) 
  • Vikashni Devi Prasad (Fiji National University) 
  • Philip Cliftonville Feao (The University of The South Pacific) 

 

2nd Place: Pacific 3 

  • Salote Puletau (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forest, Tonga) 
  • Kerry Ola Lelei I Vaiola Ae Kakala Hingoa Lepa (Tonga National University) 
  • Hepisipa Lavaka (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forest, Tonga) 
  • Deeksha Krishna (Fiji National University) 

 

3rd Place: Pacific 2 

  • Binesh Prasad (The Pacific Community (SPC)) 
  • Lincoln Hoponoa (MORDI Tonga Trust) 
  • Junior Meter Alehe Salong (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vanuatu) 
  • Rutiana Kareba (Ministry of Environment, Lands, Agriculture Development, Kiribati) 

Trophy Winners

Walker Family Trophy presented to CSIRO team

New Zealand University Trophy:  

Basalt-n-Pepper (Lincoln University) 

  • Tess Brown
  • Meila Picard
  • Lauren Roberts
  • Kate Sheehy
  •  

Bennison Trophy (Australian University Winners):  

(Vic)Raw(R)(ia) (Monash University and La Trobe University) 

  • Berenice Della Porta (La Trobe University)
  • Ella Lausberg (Monash University)
  • Julie Tan (Monash University)
  • Maille Todd (Monash University)
  • Sarah Tinsley (Monash University)

 

NZ Working Professionals Trophy 

Sore Loesses 

  • Alice Wheatley-Wilson (Waikato Regional Council)
  • Hadee Thompson-Morrison (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research)
  • Holly Fleming (Terra Pura Consulting Limited)
  • Robyn Simcock (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research)

 

Walker Family Trophy (Australian Working Professionals Winners):  

CSIRO 

  • Erinne Stirling
  • James Moloney
  • Stirling Roberton
  • Uta Stockmann

 

Allan Hewitt Trophy (Overall New Zealand Winners):  

Basalt-n-Pepper (Lincoln University)

  • Tess Brown
  • Meila Picard
  • Lauren Roberts
  • Kate Sheehy

Social Media Prize Winner

Photo from Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture

A special congratulations to the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture for winning the Social Media Prize for their fantastic coverage of the event! 

This competition would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to: 

  • Platinum Sponsor: Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research 
  • Silver Sponsors: ACIAR, ASPAC, Australian Aid 
  • Bronze Sponsors: B&P Consulting, Landsystems

 

Organising committee at the competition site

Additionally, a huge thank you to the organising committee, the judges, the experts and the volunteers whose hard work and dedication ensured the success of the event. Your commitment to making this a rewarding experience for everyone involved is truly appreciated. 

We also wish to offer our special thanks to Māori land Trust, and the Ford, Savage and Beauth families, who graciously welcomed us onto their property. Their hospitality made this event even more special and contributed greatly to its success. 

Finally a big thank you to the New Zealand Society of Soil Science, Lincoln University, The University of Waikato, and Text Publishing for their invaluable support in making the 2024 Soil Judging Competition a success. Your commitment to advancing soil science and education is deeply appreciated! 

We look forward to the next Soil Judging Competition and to continuing our collective efforts to raise awareness about the importance of soil science in addressing the challenges of our time.