Raised a townie in Clyde, the son of a builder and a Southern Rural Life advertising sales rep, he was in his final year at Dunstan High School when he was offered a cadetship at Jeff Farm in Eastern Southland.
"Ever since I’ve been a young fella I’ve always wanted to go farming. I don’t have a farming background so I don’t know where it came from but I’ve always loved being in the outdoors."
He skipped his school exams to start learning from late Jeff Farm general manager John Chittock between 2016 and 2018.
"I was green as grass coming out of school. I was a typical young fella who thought he was 10-foot tall and bulletproof, and you soon get put in your place. We were tailing in the first week and it was character-building and I learnt a lot and it helped me get to where I am today."
Although he was a townie, farming features in his family tree. His great great-grandfather was a Jeff Farm manager.
After graduating at Jeff Farm, he met his future bosses, Cameron and Robert Grant, at a pub in Gore.
"They asked if I’d be interested in a job interview."
He laughs recalling driving his little hatchback on the gravel road to the Grant brothers’ sheep and beef property of about 4500ha, on rolling tussock country in Otapiri Gorge, near Mandeville.
The brothers took him on a farm tour and offered him a shepherd’s job, helping run 45,000 stock units, mostly Romney sheep and Angus and Hereford-cross cattle.
About 22,000 ewes and 7500 hoggets were put to the ram and they run about 1000 breeding cows.
An aim was to finish all the livestock.
After a year he was promoted to senior shepherd and then stock manager in January this year.
"I’m very fortunate to be able to have great bosses and people to support me and give me an opportunity like this."
For four years he had been president of the club, which was formed in 1905.
The club moved its grounds to the Grant brothers’ property, after its former grounds at sheep and beef property Glen Islay station was planted in forestry.
As the club’s need to move grounds was unexpected, course locations would be better when some winter crops returned to pasture in a couple of years.
"Then we will have really, really good courses."
Life was busy for him and his fiancee Berlin Love, who recently had their first child, 7-month-old Henry.
"It is a pretty special time."
