| 49 nzdairy Alvaro Luzardo and his wife Ximena Puig. Lindy Andrews I used to think that a sharemilker was a very successful person. Now that person is me,” says Alvaro Luzardo somewhat gleefully. For Alvaro and his wife Ximena Puig, the journey to winning the New Zealand Dairy Industry 2024 Wairarapa/Hawke’s Bay Region Share Farmer of the Year Award started with two young Uruguayan men on holiday. “I studied agronomy with a mate, Patricio, and we came to New Zealand as backpackers in August 2013,” says Alvaro, who holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering. “New Zealand being an agricultural country, it has a strong reputation in Uruguay. We came here because we wanted to see how farming practices differed.” Travelling around the South Island, the pair was offered work on a Canterbury dairy farm – a great opportunity to explore Kiwi dairying at a deeper level, and boost their finances. The plan from there was to head on to Asia. Patricio left alone while Alvaro – who had developed a passion for New Zealand, its dairying and its people – stayed behind. “It was not easy at the start, particularly with the language barrier. I spoke no English, so my boss used to draw on a whiteboard what I had to do,” says Alvaro. Eighteen months later he travelled around Asia for 3 months “then it was back to Uruguay and real life.” A job with a cropping company lasted just five months. Finding himself missing New Zealand, Alvaro came back in 2015 with an eye for the long-term. Working near Methven, he met Dario, an Argentinian sharemilker who knew about the structured career pathways available in New Zealand dairying. “He opened my eyes, and I realised that being a share milker was possible.” Every new job delivered new mentors and learnings – “we met the right people at the right time”. Moving to Westerfield to work for Troy and Michele Hinton-Bosh, Alvaro was a farm manager for three years. Meanwhile, he met Ximena, a Uruguayan architect. After a long-distance relationship, she moved to New Zealand as well. Together they started Maitha Holdings, becoming contract milkers for Troy and Michele. While also looking for sharemilking opportunities, applying for jobs from Southland to Northland. Alvaro and Ximena are now 50/50 sharemilkers on Geoff Arends’ and Ester Romp’s 164ha, 480cow Eketahuna property. “Meeting Geoff and Ester has been wonderful. They share the old school kiwi farmer values.” The couple married last year and work together as team. When not raising calves, Ximena works remotely as an architectural designer. Award winning journey for Alvaro and Ximena DAIRY PEOPLE » Maitha Holdings The Share Farmer of the Year Award was a stepping stone to further success – “a great way to put ourselves out there for future opportunities.” “You meet a lot of great people and learn a lot FOR ALL GROUND SPREADING, CROPPING RE-GRASSING AND DIRECT DRILLING Ph 06 376 6668 Mob 027 218 5951 BUCKLEYS CONTRACTING PH. 06 376 7181 MOB. 0274 778036 Specialising in livestock cartage & general freight transport in the lower North Island region 61 Short Road, Pahiatua, New Zealand, 4982 brandfmurdoch@xtra.co.nz about yourself and your business. It isn’t just a competition, it’s a pathway for improvement,” Alvaro says. “We want to be part of the future of this country’s dairy industry, owning land, growing our family and promoting ethical and responsible farming practices.” “We really hope that our story will inspire other people.”
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