Waikato / bay of plenty

Meet Rick Nelson, Aaron Leppard, Bryan Aldridge & Alistair Smith

Aaron and Bryan work with farmers to help identify the benefits and challenges of their properties. In the Waikato, there’s a huge diversity of farms – from the very large to the small boutique ones – and the Waikato / Bay of Plenty team work with them all.

WAIKATO & BAY OF PLENTY

Experienced in dairy farming all over New Zealand, Aaron brings his vast knowledge to the Waikato region. With extensive experience in the New Zealand Grazing industry, Bryan loves working with farmers to get the best results.

Aaron Leppard

Lead Waikato Manager

(Waikato North Service Manager)

Taranaki Boy born and bred. I grew up on a Dairy farm in North Taranaki, and in my earlier working career I worked on dairy farms in Taranaki, Southland, and North Otago.

Moving to Te Awamutu with my wife and 2 children I took up the challenge of working in a totally different role with the Department of Corrections in the Waikato learning valuable communication, leadership, and mediation skills.

Rugby is my passion. I have coached numerous rugby teams and played at a senior level myself. I continue to keep my fitness level up and be involved as a referee.

While my life in the Corrections department taught me many skills farming is in my genes and I started looking for opportunities to return to work in the agricultural sector.

I am excited about my role as Service Manager with NZ Grazing Company. I enjoy connecting with farmers, listening to their stories, being part of their support team, facilitating solutions and sharing my dairy farming knowledge.

I am passionate about helping to get your heifers into the best shape to ensure they have a long and productive life within your dairy herd.

Alistair Smith (Field Technician)

I have been involved in growing things all my life – whether it be grape vines, organic carrots, or cattle. I have lived in the Waikato all my life, other than a few years living in Canada. I now farm a beef block in the north Waikato, which is my hobby and takes any spare time I have.

As a Field technician for NZ Grazing in the Waikato one of my passions is seeing well grown animals. I enjoy working alongside Aaron and Bryan, going round to the different growers, having interesting conversations and discussing ideas and techniques on how to grow and achieve great results for their animals.

Rick Nelson (Field Technician)

I’ve spent nearly my entire life in the King Country, growing up on the family sheep and beef farm in Te Kuiti. It was a privilege to eventually purchase that same farm with my wife and raise our own children there, sharing with them the rewarding experience of being self-employed and working the land together. For me, the satisfaction has always come from producing quality stock and seeing the results of hard work.

My love for the industry has taken me far beyond the farm gate, from shearing sheds in Britain and Germany to a sheep dog show in Japan.

While we’ve recently moved to a small block in Gordonton, near Hamilton, my passion for the outdoors and farming remains my favourite hobby. When I’m not tending to our beef cattle and Wiltshire ewes, you’ll often find me exploring the country on my motorbike with friends.

Joining Aaron, Alistair and Bryan in the Waikato team of NZ Grazing has been a fantastic new chapter. It’s inspiring to meet so many growers who are truly passionate about raising healthy heifers. I’m enjoying the learning process and settling into my role as a weigh technician.