8 | nzdairy Competition transformed his career prospects Karen Phelps Team leader of the Southland Farm Manager of the Year Awards Andrew Hazlett credits the competition with transforming his career prospects and helping him to secure a significant promotion in the dairy industry. After winning the 2024 Dairy Farm Manager of the Year for Otago/Southland and taking home the DeLaval Livestock Management Award at the nationals, Andrew has a new role as operations manager for Te Wae Wae Dairies in Southland, starting 3 June. “It’s a big step up overseeing two dairy farms, 1700 cows, up to 14 staff and a run off. This is purely from my increase in confidence and winning the title at the dairy awards. It’s very exciting,” says Andrew. His achievements are particularly remarkable considering the personal challenges he has overcome. Andrew has dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome, which causes visual alterations including sensitivity to light and poor adaptation of colour contrasts. These conditions weren’t diagnosed until he was nearly a teenager. “I’m not a uni boy but entering the competition and where I am now means anyone can do it. Even though I struggle with my dyslexia it doesn’t have to hold you back. You can push past it and become very successful.” Having experienced both sides of the competition - as a participant and now as team leader - Andrew is uniquely positioned to encourage new entrants. “We’ve just gone through the second round of judging and some entrants were stressed out as they felt it was daunting so it’s been interesting seeing the other side of the competition. I was one of those people last year and I thought about pulling out too so I understand how they feel and helping the entrants this year has really helped my people skills.” Andrew says the feedback process when he was a contestant last year proved particularly valuable for his professional development. “Feedback on health and safety was particularly helpful for improving but the feedback in general showed me how much I actually knew.” Andrew currently works on Paul and Rachel Diprose’s 208ha, 570-cow Thornbury property. Under his management, the herd is in the top 5% in New Zealand for breeding worth and the top 3% for production worth. His wife Hannah also works on the farm, and together they have four children. DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew Hazlett and Paul Diprose Andrew’s achievements are particularly remarkable considering the personal challenges he has overcome. As he prepares to take on his new role at Te Wae Wae Dairies, Andrew remains grateful for the opportunities that arose from his participation in the awards. “I was asked ten years ago to enter the competition and didn’t enter because of lack of Proud to support Andrew Hazlett & Paul Diprose Proudly supporting AndrewHazlett & Paul Diprose confidence and the daunting prospect of the paperwork side of things. But I would tell people not to hesitate and to enter. The paperwork to enter the dairy awards is really the type of paperwork farmers have to do every day now. Entering has really helped with my confidence levels in my career and also public speaking. I’ve made a lot of contacts and friends out of it, past winners and the committee members, and I’ve also had a number of job offers. I owe a lot to the dairy awards and entering was one of the best decisions I made for my career.”
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