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Central Plateau's top share farmers, Andrea and Blair Muggeridge.
The 2021 Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year, Andrea and Blair Muggeridge are no strangers to either the dairy industry or winning awards.
They won the region's farm manager of the year title in 2013. Both grew up on dairy farms and love working with cows.
While Andrea chose a path of hotel management and sales for a time, Blair has been farming since leaving school, with a break to complete a building apprenticeship.
Andrea joined Blair on the farm when their son Braxton (9) was born, and now Fletcher (6) and Aaliyah (4) also enjoy the farming lifestyle.
"We wanted the same life for our kids as we had," they say.
"We love the freedom farming brings, the animals, the building of relationships with our team and the overall running of a business."
The couple wish they could change public perception of farmers, especially around the subject of polluting waterways.
"Dairy farming is more of a lifestyle than a normal job. We are passionate about achieving our goals, not only personally but also for the farm."
The couple have faced challenges along the way including reconfiguring the Golden Springs farm in their first year and learning how to build a team that follows the same culture.
The Muggeridges are proud of achieving equity partnership and their successful business with excellent overall production, and are excited about the future of the dairy industry.
"We would like our farm to be a multi-generation business which will enable us to support our children in their future business endeavours."
The couple are equity partners with Trevor and Hamilton, on the Golden Springs 285ha Reporoa property, milking 1,080 cows. They won $14,399 in prizes and five merit awards.
The other big regional winners were Mark Rivers, who was named Dairy Manager of the Year, and Tayla Flight, who took out the Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Rivers is a former Contiki bus driver in Europe and New Zealand who says he entered the Awards to gain some perspective on the next step for his family and identify areas to improve.
He also grew up on a dairy farm and was always helping out from a young age.
"I attended Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre in 2000 and then began work on a 300-cow farm which grew to 500 cows the next season.
"I left the industry for 12 years and worked in the tourism industry as a Contiki bus driver in Europe and New Zealand," Rivers explains.
"I came back to the dairy industry in 2016 as I enjoy working outdoors and doing the variety of jobs needed to be a farmer."
Rivers lives with his partner Monique and their children Bodhi (3) and Thea (1) on Brett and Karen Sterritt's 98ha 400-cow Atiamuri property where he works as a farm manager.
Flight is a second-time entrant who has maintained the connections she made from her first time entering.
"I've had job offers and being an entrant has been a topic brought up by various employers, as a standour attribute on my CV."
She is farm manager for Jared Seymour milking 220 cows on his Atiamuri farm.
"I've always wanted a job where I'm happy. I love animals and I get to hang out with 220 cows and my dog every single day. If they're happy, I'm happy," says Flight.
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