Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

2024 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners​

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Formal Judging:

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Light Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place      John Habermann, Kea’au

2nd Place    Kyle Iwamoto, Hilo

3rd Place     Kunie Kinoshita, Kinobees Honey Company LLC, Waialua

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Medium Honey Category

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1st Place      Mark Pokini, Maui Bee Balm, Kula

2nd Place     Jeannie Creekmore, Kinini’s Bees and Things LLC, Kea’au

3rd Place     Hope Anderson, Honey Bee Sensual, Pahoa

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Dark Honey Category

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1st Place      Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

2nd Place    Kauai Community College Apiary, Lihue

3rd Place     Lisa Prinzing & Ned Selfe, Bee Happy Howzit Honey, Kalāheo

 

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Solid (Crystallized) Honey Category

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1st Place      Donny Marez, Hilo

2nd Place    Momilani Marshall, Weather Hill Apiary, Pāpa’ikou

3rd Place     Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

 

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Honeycomb Category

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1st Place      Jim & Linda Wakefield, Puna Bear Honey / Jimmy Mac Farms LLC, Pahoa

2nd Place    Jeannie Creekmore, Kinini’s Bees and Things LLC, Kea’au

3rd Place     Kaisa Buettgen, Malama-Ki Honey Bees, Pahoa

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People's Choice:​

 

Light Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place     Ron Hanson, The Honeybee Company, Hilo

2nd Place   Yuki Morichika, 808 Meli Honey, Kailua Kona

3rd Place    Margarita Kulaga, Bee Kine Hawaii, Papa’aloa

 

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Medium Liquid Honey Category

 

​1st Place     Jim Klyman & Carey Yost, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

2nd Place   Lisa Prinzing & Ned Selfe, Bee Happy Howzit Honey, Kalaheo

3rd Place    Mark Pokini, Maui Bee Balm, Kula

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Dark Liquid Honey Category

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​1st Place    Ron Hanson, The Honeybee Company, Hilo

2nd Place   Vanessa Houle & Devin Magallanes, Kilohana Honey, Big Island Meadery, Kea’au

3rd Place   Benjamin Foster, Foster’s Apiaries, Kea’au

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Solid (Crystalized) Honey Category

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1st Place     Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

2nd Place   Ron Hanson, The Honeybee Company, Hilo

3rd Place    Shane Lee, Bee Charmer, Pahoa

 

 

Comb Category

 

1st Place     Ron Hanson, The Honeybee Company, Hilo

2nd Place   Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

3rd Place    Scott Erickson, Sea of Coconuts, Kurtistown

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2023 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

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Formal Judging:

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Light Liquid Honey Category

1st Place    Colin Wilson, Kapaa Honey Factory, Kapaa
2nd Place  Mark & Juliane Pokini, Maui Bee Balm, Kula
3rd Place   Margarita Kulaga, Bee Kine Hawaii, Papaaloa 

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Medium Liquid Honey Category

1st Place    Vanessa Houle, Kilohana Honey / Big Island Meadery LLC, Keaau
2nd Place  Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company LLC, Hilo
3rd Place   Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs LLC, Lihue

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Dark Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place    Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company LLC, Hilo
2nd Place  Jim Klyman, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Keaau
3rd Place   Colin Wilson, Kapaa Honey Factory, Kapaa

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Solid (Crystalized) Honey Category

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1st Place    Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Keaau
2nd Place  Sarah Momilani Marshall, Weather Hill Apiary, Papaikou
3rd Place   Hope Anderson, Paho

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Comb Category

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1st Place   Vanessa Houle, Kilohana Honey / Big Island Meadery LLC, Keaau
2nd Place  Jeannie Creekmore, Kinini’s Bees and Things LLC, Keaau
3rd Place   Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs LLC, Lihue
 

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People’s Choice:
 

Light Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place   Anthony Booker, Big B’Z Hawaiian Honey, Keaau
2nd Place Richard Wainscoat, Kailua Honey, Kailua
               Colin Wilson, Kapaa Honey Factory, Kapaa
3rd Place  Kyle Iwamoto, Hilo Hunneh, Hilo

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Medium Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place   Malar & Sam Yip, Yip Ohana Aina LLC, Hilo
2nd Place Lisa Prinzing, , Kalaheo
               Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company LLC, Hilo
               Kunie Kinoshita (kino), Kino Bees Honey Co LLC, Waialua
3rd Place  Kyle Iwamoto, Hilo Hunneh, Hilo
               Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs LLC, Lihue
               Malcolm Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, Honolulu
               Susan Collins , Bird and Bee Hawai’i, Honoka’a

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Dark Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place   Sarah Momilani Marshall, Weather Hill Apiary, Papaikou
2nd Place  Vanessa Houle, Kilohana Honey, Keaau
                Jim Klyman, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Keaau
3rd Place   Shane Lee, Bee Charmer, Pahoa

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Solid (Crystalized) Honey Category

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1st Place    Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View
2nd Place  Annie Stiefel, Whale & Bee Hawaii Honey, Keaau
3rd Place   Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company LLC, Hilo

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Comb Category

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1st Place    Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs LLC, Lihue
2nd Place  Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company LLC, Hilo
3rd Place   Shane Lee, Bee Charmer, Pahoa

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2022 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

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Formal Judging:

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Light Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place Kunie Mark Kinoshita, Waialua

2nd Place Jim & Linda Wakefield, Jimmy Mac Farms - Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

3rd Place Mike Nakamura, Nakihalani Farm / Lilikoi Patch, Laupahoehoe

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Medium Liquid Honey Category

 

1st Place Malcolm Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, Honolulu

2nd Place Jim & Linda Wakefield, Jimmy Mac Farms - Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

3rd Place Francis & Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs LLC, Lihue

 

Dark Liquid Honey Category

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1st Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

2nd Place Vanessa Houle & Devin Magallanes, Kilohana Honey Company, Kea’au

3rd Place Jim Klyman & Carey Yost, Jim and Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

 

Solid (Crystalized) Honey Category

 

1st Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

2nd Place Annie Stiefel, Whale and Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

3rd Place Kunie Mark Kinoshita, Kino Bees Honey Company, Waialua

 

Comb Category

 

1st Place Jim & Linda Wakefield, Jimmy Mac Farms - Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

2nd Place Isaiah David McInnis, Mountain View

3rd Place Elijah Daniel McInnis, Mountain View

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People’s Choice:

 

Light Liquid Honey Category

 

1st Place Momi Marshall, Weather Hill Apiary, Papaikou

2nd Place Margarita Kulaga, Bee Kine Hawaii, Papa’aloa

3rd Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

 

Medium Liquid Honey Category

 

1st Place Yuki Morichika, 808 Meli, Kailua Kona

1st Place Iris Carter, Kea’au

2nd Place Annie Stiefel, Whale and Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

3rd Place Malcolm Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, Honolulu

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Dark Liquid Honey Category

 

1st Place Colin Wilson, Kapaa Honey Factory, Kapa’a

2nd Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd Place Jim & Linda Wakefield, Jimmy Mac Farms - Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

 

Solid (Crystalized) Honey Category

 

1st Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

2nd Place Annie Stiefel, Whale and Bee Hawaii Honey, Kea’au

3rd Place Jack Ware, Texawaii Farms LLC, Volcano

 

Comb Category

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1st Place Vanessa Houle & Devin Magallanes, Kilohana Honey Company, Kea’au

2nd Place Ron & Peggy Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd Place Elijah Daniel McInnis, Mountain View

3rd Place Midori Muranaka, Kula Wai Apiary, Hilo

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2019 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

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Formal Judging:

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Light Honey Category

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1st place    Carey Yost, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

2nd place    Ned Burns, Alii Bee Company, Captain Cook

3rd place    Brittany Anderson, Sugar Hill Farmstead, Hilo

 

Medium Honey Category

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1st place    Jim & Linda Wakefield, Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

2nd place    Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

3rd place    Malcom Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees LLC, Honolulu

 

Dark Honey Category

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1st place    Vanessa Houle, Kea’au

2nd place    Harry Holm, Big ‘Āina Bees, Pāpa’ikou

3rd place    Robert Forbes, Robot Farms, Honomu

        

Solid Honey Category

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1st place    Annie Stiefel, Whale and Bee Hawaii Honey, Pahoa

2nd place    Ron Hanson & Peggy Beckett, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

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Comb Category

1st place    Georgeanne Purvinis, Francis Takahashi, Alan Spencer, Kauai Community College (KCC), Lihue

2nd place    Jim & Linda Wakefield, Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

3rd place    Carey Yost, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

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People’s Choice:

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Light Honey Category

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1st place    Annie Stiefel, Whale and Bee Hawaii Honey, Pahoa

2nd place    Iris Carter, Hilo

3rd place    Brittany Anderson, Sugar Hill Farmstead, Hilo

 

Medium Honey Category

 

1st place    Ned Selfe & Lisa Johnshoy Prinzing, Howzit Honey, Kalaheo

2nd place    Bruce Wilkinson, Waialua

3rd place    Larry Reiss, Kurtistown

                  Callie Matulonis, Lava Bees, Pahoa

                  Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

                  Vanessa Houle, Kea’au

 

Dark Honey Category

 

1st place    Will Lydgate, Lydgate Farms, Kapaa

2nd place    Iris Carter, Hilo

3rd place    Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs, LLC, Lihue

 

Solid Honey Category

 

1st place    Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

2nd place    Ron Hanson & Peggy Beckett, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Shawn Harris, Wao Kele Honey, Kea’au

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Comb Category

 

1st place    Joshua McInnis, Mountain View

2nd place    Georgeanne Purvinis, Francis Takahashi, Alan Spencer, Kauai Community College (KCC), Lihue

3rd place    Carey Yost, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

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2018 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

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Formal Judging:

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Light Honey Category

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1st place    Midori Muranaka, Kula Wai Apiary, Hilo

2nd place   Ned Burns, Alii Bee Company, Captain Cook

3rd place    Jim Klyman & Carey Yost, Kea’au

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Medium Honey Category

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1st place     Georgeanne Purvinis, Francis Takahashi & Alan Spencer, Kauai Community College, Lihue

2nd place    Malcolm Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, Honolulu

3rd place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown

 

Dark Honey Category

 

1st place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown

2nd place   Erhard Autrata, Hawaiian Raw Honey, Kea’au

3rd place    Erhard Autrata, Hawaiian Raw Honey, Kea’au

 

Solid Honey Category

 

1st place     Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

2nd place    Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

3rd place    Larry Reiss, Kurtistown

 

Comb Category

 

1st place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown

2nd place   Ron Hanson & Peggy Beckett, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Midori Muranaka, Kula Wai Apiary, Hilo

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People’s Choice:

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Light Honey Category

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1st place    Eli Isele, Mayes Apiaries LLC, Hilo

2nd place   Larry Reiss, Kurtistown

3rd place    Larry Reiss, Kurtistown

 

Medium Honey Category

 

1st place    Munē Morichika, Hualalai Bee LLC, Kailua Kona

2nd place   Will Lydgate, Lydgate Farms, Kapa’a

3rd place    Malcolm Yorkston, Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, Honolulu

 

Dark Honey Category

 

1st place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown

2nd place   Jim Klyman & Carey Yost, Kea’au

3rd place    Kelly & Michael McCoy, Makawao 

 

Solid Honey Category

 

1st place    Ron Hanson & Peggy Beckett, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

2nd place   Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

3rd place    Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

 

Comb Category

 

1st place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown 

2nd place   Ron Hanson & Peggy Beckett, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Joyce Takahashi, Miki Macs, LLC, Lihue

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2017 Hawaiian Honey Challenge Winners

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Formal Judging:

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Light Honey Category

 

1st place      Larry Reiss, Parsantha Apiary, Kurtistown

2nd place    Midori Muranaka, Kula Wai Apiary, Hilo

3rd place     Eli Isele, Mayes Apiaries LLC, Hilo

 

Medium Honey Category

 

1st place      Ned Burns, Alii Bee Company, Captain Cook

2nd place    Devin Magallanes, Kurtistown

3rd place     Carey Yost & Jim Klyman, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

 

Dark Honey Category

 

1st place     Cassandra Pensa, Bee Ohana, Pahoa

2nd place    John Pascual, Hawaii Guerrilla Apiaries, Mountain View

3rd place     Michael & Kelly McCoy, Makawao

 

Solid Honey Category

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1st place      Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

2nd place    Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View 

3rd place     Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

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Comb Category

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1st place     Devin Magallanes, Island Princess, Kurtistown

2nd place   Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Cassandra Pensa, Bee Ohana, Pahoa

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People’s Choice:

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Light Honey Category

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1st place     Callie Matulonis, Lava Bees, Pahoa

2nd place   Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place    Brittany Anderson, Hilo

                   Elaine Partlow, Tropical Gold Honey, Pahoa

                   Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

 

Medium Honey Category

 

1st place     Jim & Linda Wakefield, Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

2nd place   Georgia Putman, Polestar Gardens, Pahoa

                   Larry Reiss, Parsantha Apiary, Kurtistown

                   Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

3rd place    Carey Yost & Jim Klyman, Jim & Carey’s Happy Bees, Kea’au

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Dark Honey Category

 

1st place     John Pascual, Hawaii Guerrilla Apiaries, Mountain View

2nd place   Jim & Linda Wakefield, Puna Bear Honey, Pahoa

3rd place    Michael & Kelly McCoy, Makawao

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Solid Honey Category

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1st place     John Pascual, Hawaii Guerrilla Apiaries, Mountain View

2nd place   Patrick Weder, Lotus Buddhist Monastery, Mountain View

3rd place    Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo

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Comb Category

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1st place    Devin Magallanes, Island Princess, Kurtistown

2nd place   Vanessa Houle, Kea’au

                   John Pascual, Hawaii Guerrilla Apiaries, Mountain View

                   Ron Hanson, The Honey Bee Company, Hilo

3rd place   Erik Belcher, Aina Meli, Hilo