Growing up on a sheep farm, he started milking cows as his first job when he was still in high school.
After completing a bachelor of commerce degree majoring in agriculture at Lincoln University, he returned to Southland to work in the milk industry where he and his wife have been self-employed for a couple of years.
All the hard work he put in through the years paid off at the weekend when the 28-year-old Thornbury Young Farmer became the Otago-Southland FMG Young Farmer of the Year after competing against six other contestants in the regional finals at Winton Racecourse.
"I’ve had a crack at a regional two or three years ago and then I placed third or something.
"It was pretty unreal to be fair.
He believed his time management and laid-back approach were among the reasons he got some essential points which allowed him to get first place.
"I would love to bring the trophy home.
"It’d be great to do it in front of a home crowd.
"It’s pretty massive to represent Otago and Southland.
"It’s a huge area.
"It’s pretty notorious for having great people down here.
"So representing them, obviously, it’s a fair bit of pressure, but it’s good.
Contest manager Nick Kennedy said the event had a strong turnout.
"It was massive.
"We celebrated all aspects of farming — from agricultural to machinery to animal health and even genetics.
"The competitions were designed by alumni and people who went through this competition before, so it was a celebration of generations and a great experience for all.
"We are looking forward to host the nationals here in Winton again in a couple of months.
The event also crowned Blue Mountain College students Sam Hartshorne, Cailyn Joyce and Hannah Stewart, all 12, as the Otago Southland AgriKids NZ champions.
They would also be competing in the finals.
