'Class of '25 Boys on tour' in NZ

Olly O Jones (ORC, 14-25)

My New Zealand experience started on the 16th September when I flew out to NZ and landed on the 18th. The first few days consisted of setting up my bank account and tax number, sorting out my SIM card and buying a car. The first few weeks of work started with doing the winter service to all of the tractors and kit in the yard. This consisted of tasks like changing oil filters on tractors through to rebuilding and replacing bearings on the conditioners on the mowers.

From then up until Christmas, we were on grass silage where we covered around 7,000 hectares and I was mainly on the 4 Rotor Rake for this. Over Christmas I spent a month travelling the South Island with my girlfriend working my way down the east coast meeting up with AJ in Christchurch for Christmas and then we made our way across via Lake Tekapo, Lake Wānaka, Queenstown where we spent new year’s and then on to Milford Sounds until we separated again and I made my way back up the west coast back to the ferry.

Since Christmas we have been carrying out the summer services on tractor and trailers, getting ready for when we start maize at the end of the month.

AJ Morris (SCH, 23-25)

My travels began at the start of November when I came out to New Zealand to play cricket and rugby. Within an hour of getting off the plane I was at the races meeting new people and making contacts. From then on, I have played multiple cricket games for the Weedons Cricket Club (they play in green & gold!) and The Willows playing with some amazing people. I have been working part time on a farm as well as doing some building work.

Over Christmas I was hosted by the Dormer family where we had an amazing time with friends and family. After this I met up with Olly where we travel down via Wanaka and Queenstown doing some cool activities such as jet boating/ skydiving! Since leaving Olly, I have done a month’s work on an arable farm just south of Timaru and now I’m preparing for the end of the cricket season with finals coming up and with rugby pre-season just kicking off in Christchurch!