Growing up on sheep and beef farms, Mrs Vallely was adamant she was never going to be a dairy farmer, while Mr Vallely had not seen a dairy farm before going to university.
Studying at Lincoln University, he ended up working on a dairy farm as part of his degree requirements, while Mrs Vallely did a bit of relief milking before taking on a full-time dairy farming job after university.
It was while at Lincoln University the pair met, before getting married in 2011, when they moved to Waipahi to manage Mr Vallely's family farm.
Now, seven years on, the Vallelys have been named the Southland-Otago Share Farmers of the Year.
The couple started out sharemilking at Waipahi, where they were lower-order sharemilking, then moved to another lower-order sharemilking position at Hillend, near Balclutha, which had been a challenge.
``It was a tough farm,'' Mr Vallely said.
The owners were very supportive, and the Vallelys still stayed in touch with them.
From there, they secured their current 50-50 sharemilking job at Charlton for David and Val Stafford. They are in their fourth season on the 168ha effective farm, which runs 500 cows.
The couple also have three children, Briee (5), Elsie (3) and Spencer (1).
The farm is made up of two soil types: 30% is Gore and 70% is Jacobstown.
Mrs Vallely's favourite part of farming was the livestock side of things.
``Calving is my favourite time of year. We get a nanny in so I can be on farm all day.''
Mr Vallely had a passion for growing grass and crops and feeding the cows.
Infrastructure on farm included a 40-a-side herringbone shed, a basic shed with good cow flow.
They have a 2000sqm effluent pond, with 28 K-Lines that are pulse irrigated, and 150 calves are reared in the calf shed.
Last year, the couple bought a 72ha farm in Waimumu and had more goals in place. Winning share farmer of the year was one of these, and the next was the national Share Farmer of the Year title.
On farm they want to achieve 220,000kgMS and reduce debt.
``Long term, we want to own our own farm with 400-500 cows,'' Mrs Vallely said.
The couple had some fantastic mentors in the industry, they said.
