Highlights from the Wings Over Wairarapa 2019 show. PHOTO/FILE

Wings Over Wairarapa took out the Trust House Supreme Award at Thursday night’s Wairarapa Awards, in front of sell-out crowd of 300 at Masterton’s Copthorne Solway Park.

The region’s biennial air show impressed the independent judging panel by reinventing itself for the 20th anniversary, placing a great emphasis on educating 4500 students at Friday sessions, as well as putting on another incredible air display.

The event was named the Tranzit Vibrant Award winner, for those businesses who are leaders in Wairarapa’s burgeoning hospitality and tourism sector and went up alongside the other four category winners for the overall award.

They were astro-tourism venture Under The Stars [ANZ Emerging Award], Victoria Read from Aspect Architecture [Drake New Zealand Service Award], Rebel Bakehouse [Harcourts Hamill Realty Innovation Award] and Clareville Bakery [Gibson Sheat Team Award].

A special presentation was made to Sally Summers of Saunders Shoes, for her outstanding contribution and service to a Wairarapa business over more than 70 years.

Business Wairarapa tributes were made to Alan Stewart, executive chair of Hansells, and Prue Hamill, managing director of Hamill Realty.

All three current Wairarapa mayors – Lyn Patterson [Masterton], John Booth [Carterton] and Viv Napier [South Wairarapa] – MPs Kieran McAnulty and the Hon Ron Mark, along with Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Adrienne Staples and Business Wairarapa life member Bob Francis, made presentations to representatives from the winning businesses.

The event was again hosted by Business Wairarapa.

Business Wairarapa General Manager, Catherine Rossiter-Stead, who will depart her role in November, was delighted with the success of the second Wairarapa Awards.

“There is so much to celebrate about the success of business in our region, not only in terms of financial results and the revenue they generate for Wairarapa as a whole, but also in the way they look after their staff, create opportunities and think outside the box for new ways to develop and market their products and services.

“The strong feeling throughout the evening was one of pride in what we are achieving as a community and it was wonderful to hear people share their stories of success in so many different ways.

“This is a very special region in which to do business and the main objective of the Wairarapa Awards is to help reinforce that message. Our winners thoroughly deserve their awards, but each of our nominees and finalists has a special story to tell. Our job now is to continue to spread the word to the rest of New Zealand.”

Trust House Supreme Award

[Overall winner]

Wings over Wairarapa

Tranzit Vibrant Award

[Leaders in Wairarapa’s burgeoning hospitality and tourism sector]

Winner: Wings over Wairarapa

Nominated: Carterton Events Centre, Con Art Gallery and Studios Inc, Rahui Coastal Loop, To the Coast with the Post, Featherston Booktown

Gibson Sheat Team Award

[Service to the community, wellness and wellbeing and investment in people]

Winner: Clareville Bakery

Nominated: 3Mile, RIVAL Wealth, Featherston Booktown, Carterton Events Centre, Eastwood Motor Group Ltd

Harcourts Hamill Realty Innovation Award

[Exploring new ideas, services and products and who are thinking outside the box]

Winner: Rebel Bakehouse

Nominated: Printcraft + Design Hive, Wairarapa Eco Farm CSA, Wings over Wairarapa 2019 Air Festival, Wairarapa Times-Age, The Drunken Nanny

ANZ Emerging Award

[Up and coming businesses]

Winner: Under the Stars

Nominated: Blackwell & Sons, Nectarine, 3mile, Ohnyx IT Solutions Ltd, Wairarapa Eco Farm CSA

Drake NZ Service Award

[Individual long service]

Winner: Victoria Read – Aspect Architecture

Nominated: Melissa Garrity – Naturopath, Sally Summers – Saunders Shoes, Lance Johnson – Printcraft + Design Hive, Gordon Wyeth – To the Coast with the Post.