Magazine Article 1984 – Auckland fruitgrower wins Bledisloe Cup

AUCKLAND FRUITGROWER WINS BLEDISLOE CUP

Mr Phillip Glucina, of Auckland, is the 1984 winner of the Bledisloe Cup for contributing most to the New Zealand fruitgrowing industry.

He was presented with the trophy at the Annual Conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation by the President, Mr Peter Taylor.

Outlining to the conference why the Federation Directors had chosen Mr Glucina for the award, Auckland Director John Borich said that Phillip’s work in the evaluation of new stonefruit varieties had contributed to the improvement of the fruit industry not only in the Auckland district but throughout New Zealand.

Mr Glucina, who has a lifelong history of fruitgrowing, firstly with his father and brother and latterly on his own behalf, is a foundation member of the Auckland New Varieties Committee and currently its Chairman. He is also a member of the Stonefruit Sector Committee.

“His willingness to participate in a new cultivars field testing programme, together with his keen powers of observation and experience, has led to the acceptance of a number of new cultivars for large-scale commercial plantings in New Zealand. Similarly, his documentation of the merits of newer material has helped to determine those varieties that are not suitable for commercial  development here,” said Mr Borich.

On his orchard and at considerable cost to himself, Phillip Glucina has had at the one time up to 80 new stonefruit varieties for evaluation. From these initial evaluations small commercial trials have been carried out, again at some cost to himself. In recent years, as a result of the evaluations carried out by him, a number of new varieties of peaches and nectarines have been introduced to the industry.

Mr Borich also paid a tribute to Phillip Glucina’s willingness to share his knowledge with others in the industry.

NEXT YEAR’S CONFERENCES

The Federation’s 1985 Annual Conference will be held at Wairakei – the Tourist Hotel Corporation’s Wairakei Hotel – on  October 1 and 2.

The Pipfruit Sector Conference will be held at the Golden Central Motor Inn, Alexandra on August 6 and 7, and the Stonefruit Sector Conference will be held at the same venue on August 8 and 9.

The Citrus and Subtropical Sector Conference will be held at Whangarei on September 17 and 18.

The Kiwifruit Sector Conference will be held at a venue in the Bay of Plenty on September 10, 11 and 12.

It is proposed to hold the Federation’s 1986 Annual Conference in Christchurch to link with the centenary of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association.

ROBERT ISBISTER TO TAKE OVER FROM JOHN DEYELL

Mr John Deyell, General Manager of the NZ Fruitgrowers’ Federation Ltd since May 1981, will retire next February after 41 years with the Federation.

It was announced by the President, Mr Peter Taylor, at the Federation’s Annual Conference that Mr Robert lsbister, Assistant General Manager, will be appointed General Manager on Mr Deyell’s retirement.

Mr lsbister joined the Federation as Assistant General Manager in June 1983.

Photo captions –

Mr Phillip Glucina (right) is presented with the Bledisloe Cup by Federation President Peter Taylor. In the centre is Mrs Glucina

Hawkes Bay representatives are to the fore in this view of delegates and visitors at the Federation’s Annual Conference. From left, David Robb (Branch Manager), Graeme Wake, Ray Cartright [Cartwright], David Mardon, Robin Osborne, Stuart Horn, Cor Dames and Allan Hyde (Director).