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Spread Test NZ, rangiora, Rangiora (2026)

24/03/2026

Driver Profile – Tammy Livermore

TSL Nightcaps

Tammy’s based in Ohai and has been in the spreading game for 5.5 years, currently driving a Mercedes (even if she’s standing in front of a Scania 😄).
Best part of the job?Being outside — simple as that.

Tammy reckons there’s a big gap in the industry when it comes to product knowledge.

“We’re putting this stuff out every day… but how much do we actually know about it?”
Understanding what products are going on, how long they take to work, and what the risks are when handling them — that’s something she’d like to see lifted right across the board. Especially when farmers ask questions on the spot — drivers should have the answers.

She’s also big on better interaction on farm.
Knowing the layout, where stock are moving, and how each place runs makes a real difference to doing a tidy job.

And one final note…
Gates.
Happy to open and shut them — but if every gate needs doing, it definitely makes the job take longer 😅

Tammy’s one of those genuinely good people — great with farmers and teams alike… even if she won’t admit it herself 👌

09/03/2026

Piako Bulk Spreaders ready for the autumn fertiliser season.

This truck recently passed Spreadmark testing with Craig Snodgrass from our North Island team at Spread Test NZ,
delivering a tidy, consistent spread pattern.

Good gear, set up properly, makes all the difference.

All the best for the busy season ahead 👍
Spread Test NZ

If we measure it, we can manage it.

09/02/2026

Big day out at the NZAAA / Groundspread demo

Spent the day at Feilding Aerodrome for the New Zealand Aerial Application Association / New Zealand Groundspreading Association demonstration day.
Drones, planes and trucks all lined up together — different gear, same goal:
put the product where it’s meant to go.
Spread Test NZ ran the fertiliser and spray pattern testing station, measuring what’s actually hitting the ground and providing true proof of placement.
Had some great chats with industry, councils and regulators about lifting standards across the board.
Good to see support from
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand,
WorkSafe New Zealand,
Environmental Protection Authority,
Ministry for the Environment,
Horticulture New Zealand,
Horizons Regional Council,
Taranaki Regional Council,
Federated Farmers of New Zealand, and
Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Big thanks to Tony Michelle for pulling the day together — a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make these happen 👏

07/02/2026

Craig’s been clocking up some paddock hours in the Manawatū this week, helping the team at Himatangi Transport Ltd get their spreaders checked and dialled in.
He was also testing for the dairy crew at Poplar Partnership, and working alongside Paul Hoyle, who manufacture spreader bins — great to see manufacturers and operators both keen to make sure everything’s performing properly.
Trays out, patterns sorted, a few tweaks here and there — just making sure the fertiliser’s landing exactly where it should.
Good crew, tidy gear, and solid results all round 👍
Big thanks to everyone who jumped in to help lay out and pick up trays too — makes the job quicker and keeps the day moving. Always appreciated.

06/02/2026

Driver Profile – Kelvin Anderson
Himatangi Transport | Manawatū District
Kelvin’s been spreading for 15–16 seasons, and at 52 he’s still racking up the hours like it’s nothing.
He’s running a Scania 400 with a Paul Hoyle bin, side controls and a JWE V3 controller, covering plenty of ground around the Manawatū District.
Originally a farmer, so he knows exactly what it’s like on the other side of the fence — which probably explains why the job suits him.
Best part of the day?
👉 “Getting out and about. Different country, different views every day.”
Can’t argue with that. Plenty of miles between paddocks and a new outlook around every corner.
And when we asked where spreading’s heading?
👉 “Accuracy’s the big thing, isn’t it.”
Short, sharp, and dead right.

19/01/2026

Driver Profile – Barry Rattray (Bazz)
Ryal Bush Transport | Ashburton.

Bazz has been spreading for 7–8 seasons and reckons he’s seen just about every paddock shape known to man — and a few that definitely weren’t drawn with a ruler.

He’s running a Scania P-series XT with a McMaster bin, driven by a John Whitehead V3 controller and Tabula GPS to keep everything pointing in the right direction.

Best part of the job?
The views. Different paddocks, different country, different day. Barry also enjoys the people you meet along the way — plenty of good bu**ers and more than a few proper characters.

Looking ahead, Barry would love to see spreading head toward a bit more real-world common sense. Compliance is important, but paddocks curve, creeks sneak up on you, and things don’t always line up as neatly as the rules say they should.

Message for farmers:
Please have the stock out before the truck turns up
And make sure the electric gates aren’t live and angry — getting zapped isn’t part of the service ⚡😅
Solid operator, straight shooter, and another bloke quietly getting it done for Ryal Bush Transport.

11/12/2025

Craig and the crew are soaking up a mint Waikato day while product testing for Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Big thanks to Stu at Piako Bulk Spreaders for supplying the Mercedes fitted with a Paul Hoyle spreader bin — and to everyone who chipped in lifting trays. Another quality day on the ground for Spread Test NZ.

06/12/2025

Driver Profile – Toby Evans (Brooks Spreading, Nelson – Top of the South)

With 14 years in the seat and still only 38, Toby Evans is one of the steady hands at Brooks Spreading. He’s running an Iveco T-Way paired with a Paul Hoyle bin and Tabula GC1 controller, keeping patterns tidy across the ever-changing country of the Top of the South.

Toby reckons the best part of the job is exactly that — the variety. New terrain, new views, new people, and the relationships built along the way. Every day’s different, every farm’s different, and that’s what keeps the job fresh after more than a decade on the sticks.

He’s not just a solid operator either — Toby’s genuinely one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, the sort of bloke everyone’s happy to have on the job.

Looking ahead, Toby wants to see fertiliser product quality continue to lift, so it matches the standard of modern gear and operator skill. Better product, better patterns — simple.

Another good bu**er keeping the wheels turning for Brooks Spreading.

06/12/2025

Driver Profile – Ryan Brooks (Brooks Spreading, Nelson / Murchison)

Ryan’s a bit of a character — the good kind — and he’s into his second full-time season behind the wheel of Truck 14, an Iveco Trakker running a Paul Hoyle bin, driven by a Novex 2020 spread controller and Tabula guidance.

Based in Nelson and operating largely around Murchison, Ryan brings a solid farming background with him. After years shepherding and sub-managing, he moved into ground spreading full time — and it shows. He reckons the best part of the job is turning up to a different farm each day, meeting good bu**ers, and seeing how every place does things a little differently.
“No two weeks are the same. Different people, different climates, different country — that’s the fun of it.”

When it comes to the future of spreading, Ryan is big on operator skill and decision-making. He’d like to see systems that genuinely support the driver, rather than technology or regulation that doesn’t always fit real-world hill country.
“Give the operator more authority. Let the person on the ground make the call — that’s where the results come from.”

He’s also keen to see training that’s actually spreader-focused, not generic.
“If it’s a Spreadmark course, teach spreading. Show us how SGN and UI change the pattern, how spinner speed affects the throw, and take us to a test pad. Make it real.”

Solid bloke, sharp operator, and one of the many characters keeping things moving for Brooks Spreading in the top of the south.

06/12/2025

Driver Profile – Mike Barratt (Brooks Spreading, Wakefield)

Mike Barratt — freshly 40 and reckons he still feels 25 — is into his fifth summer with Brooks Spreading. He’s running a brand spanking new Iveco T-Way fitted with a Paul Hoyle bin and a Tabula GC1 controller to keep things tidy out in the hills.

Based in Wakefield, Mike reckons the best part of the job is the variety — new country, new views, new spots you’d never see otherwise.
(He also reckons Friday beers rank pretty high, but we’ll call that “team building.”)

When it comes to the future of spreading, Mike’s big wish is simple:
better, more consistent fertiliser products.
Anything that makes the job quicker, easier, and produces cleaner patterns is a win in his book. Technology’s improving fast too, even if he jokes it’s still a bit above his pay grade.

Solid operator, straight shooter, and another good bu**er helping keep things moving for Brooks Spreading in the Top of the South.

04/12/2025

Driver Profile – Rowan Forster (Sollys Transport, Tākaka)

Rowan’s been spreading for around eight years, running a Scania P410 XT with an Engineering & Repairs 730V bin, a John Whitehead V3 Plus controller, and Tabula for guidance.
He reckons the best part of the job is a sunny day on good country — getting out on the land, meeting farmers, and enjoying the views while he’s at it.
A bit of a character and never short of a cheeky comment — especially when the Ravensdown rep’s around — Rowan brings plenty of personality to the job.
When asked where he’d like to see spreading head in the future, he kept it simple:
“Proof of placement — and keeping costs down for farmers by making sure every kilo lands where it should.”
Hard to argue with that. 👍

16/10/2025

Driver Profile – Hayden, Mainland Spreading (Oamaru)

Meet Hayden, one of the crew from Mainland Spreading down in Oamaru.
He’s running Truck 22, an MAN with an ERL 730V bin and a Tabula GC1 spread controller.

With around six years in the seat, Hayden says the best part of spreading is the freedom – being out in the countryside instead of stuck indoors.

He reckons more product knowledge for operators would go a long way for the industry.

Spread Test NZ

24/03/2026

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

07/02/2026

06/02/2026

19/01/2026

11/12/2025

06/12/2025

06/12/2025

06/12/2025

04/12/2025

16/10/2025

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