The 23-year-old was named dairy trainee of the year for the North Otago and Canterbury region in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards last month.
Raised on a 350-cow dairy farm at Hikurangi Swamp in the Whangārei District, Mr Smith’s parents sold the farm and left the industry in 2016. That followed a bad run of floods with three in one year.
When he expressed a desire to be a dairy farmer, his parents asked him to explore other careers. But while investigating careers in construction, rural banking and as a mechanic, he realised how passionate he was about the dairy industry and working outdoors, in a mentally and physically challenging profession.
At secondary school, he got a job milking cows on a local farm before completing a commerce degree in agriculture at Lincoln University.
His education included challenges as he was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child after struggling to read and write and he was grateful to the teachers and lecturers who helped him reach his academic goals.
"I see the disability as an advantage as I’m able to think outside the box to come up with solutions ... it has helped me realise there is always more than one option," he said.
While studying in Canterbury, he worked for dairy farmer Tony Dodunski on his 650-cow farm Beaumaris Dairies near Lake Ellesmere.
"He is a big mentor for helping me achieve my goals and made me see the light, that dairy was the thing for me," he said.
He and Mr Dodunski joined Mark Greenside and Lochie O’Sullivan to establish agricultural recruitment business Ag Assist in 2021. Ag Assist provides a digital platform for farmers and growers to find casual or part-time staff.
After graduating in 2023, Mr Smith began working as a second-in-charge and young stock manager on Beaumaris Dairies.
During that time, he took part in the grassroots dairy management graduate programme, learning from experienced farmers on best practice to run a dairy farm from growing nutritious pasture to managing a successful business.
"That was a real eye-opener," he said.
He left Canterbury to work in a second-in-charge and irrigation manager role for contract milkers Charlotte and Daniel Montgomery on Matt and Julie Ross’ nearly 270ha, 950-cow Duntroon property Kokoamo, about 18 months ago.
The cows were Kiwicross and on track to hitting their milk production target for the season despite dry conditions requiring more supplementary feed this season
Mr Smith entered the awards after completing an Outward Bound course last year. Before going on the course, he was feeling lost and it helped him realise the dairy industry was still the right career path.
"It was such an awesome opportunity and helped me set my goals," he said.
His award prize includes $1000 cash, tickets to the South Island Dairy Event in Timaru this week and an all-expenses paid trip with other regional winning trainees, in the week leading up to the national gala dinner and award ceremony in Mt Maunganui next month.
Another prize was $1000 cash for a merit award from Dairy Holdings for communication and industry involvement.
"We are playing it by ear from there," he said.
The couple’s long-term dream is to own a dairy farm in Southland, where Miss Calder hails from.
He was confident there were opportunities available to progress to farm ownership in the dairy industry.
Being part of the dairy industry was special. "I’m really looking forward to what is to come," he said.
Other big winners in the Canterbury and North Otago region include share farmer of the year, contract milkers Richard Grabham and Nikita Baker, of Ashburton, and dairy manager of the year George Dodson, of Darfield.
The winners of the 2025 Southland and Otago Dairy Industry Awards share farmer of the year category were sharemilkers Hayden Smith and Isla Pringle, both 25.
They won $7600 in prizes and four merit awards.
The couple 50/50 sharemilk 450 cows on the 175ha property of Lachie and Sarah McLeod in Mabel Bush.
Mr Smith placed third in the 2019 Southland and Otago dairy trainee category.
Both of them come from farming backgrounds and both knew they would choose farming as a career, Mr Smith said.
"I grew up doing it, I have always wanted to do it and always felt right doing it.
"It doesn’t feel like a job 99% of the time, it’s my passion and what I enjoy doing."
The couple were proud of their successes including securing their sharemilking role at age 22 and they were debt-free at the end of their third year sharemilking.
Another big winner in Otago and Southland was dairy manager of the year Leah Murray, 23.
She won $6550 in prizes plus two merit awards and manages Alistair and Hazel Murray’s 270ha, 740-cow farm in Gore.
The 2025 Southland and Otago dairy trainee of the year was Emma Blom, a farm manager on Blomventures Ltd, a 200ha Balfour property, milking 300 cows. She won $5555 in prizes.
All of the major winners will be at a field day where Mr Smith and Ms Pringle sharemilk at 917 Rakahouka Hedgehope Rd, Invercargill, from 10.30am on April 16.
