BLAKE SHIRLEY
2013: Shirley was a Southland age-group representative in hockey and golf and had achieved NCEA Levels 1 and 2 with excellence. He planned to become an engineer.
2023: Shirley lives in Tauranga where he is a senior adviser in KPMG’s private enterprise team, helping small businesses with their day-to-day business needs, strategic direction and compliance. He has a master’s of financial management and an engineering degree with 1st class honours. He continues to play hockey and golf but mainly for the social aspect and has completed the Coast to Coast and Motatapu Marathon.
LAURA BEST (NEE MILLER)
2013: A ballet dancer from the age of 6, Miller had passed grade 8 ballet with distinction. She had academic blues awards for her various subject endorsements and was interested in a career in international law and women’s rights.
2023: Best works with her husband in their family dairy farming business and enjoys rearing calves each spring. She has an arts degree, majoring in politics and history, and is studying part-time through Open Polytechnic towards a diploma in legal executive studies. Mum to three children aged 5 years, 4 years and six months, the Gore woman is no longer involved in ballet but looking forward to her daughter starting lessons next year.
