Now in its fifth year, the award recognises enthusiasm and commitment to training in helping poultry producers to meet today's exacting retail standards as well as developing individual careers. It is sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health in conjunction with the magazine, Poultry World.

Warren Gittoes

Michael Kilby

James Newman

The winner, who will receive a £2,000 training grant, will be announced at the presentation event at the House of Commons on 1 November when Farming Minister, Jim Paice, will make the awards to both the poultry and pig sectors.

The finalists were chosen by a judging panel comprising John Newton (senior poultry consultant of ADAS), Phil Clarke (editor of Poultry World) and James Porritt (national poultry manager of Pfizer).

The finalists are:

• Warren Gittoes, who began working on Joff and Emma Roberts' Uphampton Farm, Shobdon, after gaining three 'A' levels. The farm rears broiler chickens for Cargill Meats. Warren has completed a Level 3 diploma in poultry production, sees good qualifications as the route to career success and would use the grant to study for a foundation or honours degree in poultry production. His training assessor, Jackie Colwill, describes Warren as a 'star pupil' completing the diploma course that would normally take 18 months 'in record time' – just four months.
  
  
• Michael Kilby, who works at the P.D. Hook hatchery at Cote, Oxfordshire, has seen his career forge ahead after beginning a training programme two years ago. After gaining a Level 2 apprenticeship, he is now working towards a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship in poultry production. His training assessor, Carl Fryett of Poultec, says that Michael stood out among his colleagues in what is one of Europe's largest hatcheries to be selected for the P.D. Hook management trainee programme – an opportunity he jumped at.
  
  
• James Newman gained a BTEC national diploma in animal care at Otley College in Suffolk before joining Green Label Farms on a unit rearing ducks and geese at Debach, near Woodbridge. He excelled on an NVQ Level 3 poultry production course at Easton College and won an award for the best first-year student in poultry. Now managing one of the company's largest farms, he continues to improve his skills through courses with Slate Hall Veterinary Practice and Animal Welfare Training, and on health and safety, machinery and trailer driving.