PROVING PEOPLE CAN CHANGE After a difficult upbringing, Ben Purua speaks to Alex Lond about how farming provided him with opportunities he never believed he would be privy to only a few years ago.
78
T
he path to managing a dairy farm has been far from smooth for Ahuwhenua Trophy Young Farmer finalist 26-year-old Ben Purua. After a tough start to life and serving time in prison, farming gave him the opportunity to better himself and he hasn’t looked back. Not a stranger to a challenge, Ben has previously entered the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards three times and his efforts have been recognised with awards for his leadership skills and financial planning achievements. However, the Ahuwhenua Trophy was a contest close to his heart. “I’d never heard of the Ahuwhenua Trophy before it was recommended to me by the Dairy NZ Māori agribusiness specialist Hemi Dawson. “After learning the whakapapa behind the awards, I realised how much I could relate to the purpose: it’s more about who you are and what you want to achieve from farming, rather than just your knowledge and ability to talk numbers.” Ben couldn’t believe how he’d never heard about the competition before entering. Immersed in his own Māori culture, he believes that the Ahuwhenua Trophy needs more advertising as an amazing opportunity for young people to develop and advance their passion for farming, as well as talking to like-minded people about working as a young Māori in the industry.
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | October 2021
