Dairy

Raised in the Levels Valley, Dean attended Pleasant Point School, spending holidays working in the shearing sheds as a presser. His first job after leaving school was as a labourer on the chain at the local freezing works. He then took up shearing and spent the next 16 years in the sheds. As well as shearing locally, Dean travelled to Australia, where he worked on runs, shearing Crossbreds and Merinos. He also shore in England and Scotland – a considerably different experience, where shearing involved setting up a mobile unit in the corner of the paddocks and doing the job there and then. Dean competed in shearing competitions and represented New Zealand in the sport. He won an intermediate Golden Shears title and also intermediate and senior titles at the New Zealand Shearing Champs. In 2009, he joined the team here. Dean is based in the Temuka area, where he services both the strong dairy farming community and local sheep and beef clients. After work, he enjoys a spot of fishing and can be found following his family on the rugby field and around the athletics track.