While other students had the choice of where they were planning to work or study after leaving school,...

I was always destined to work on the Family Dairy Farm, 320 acres in Halswell that supported the town milk supply. I guess you could say that my dad influenced and inspired my initial life choices. Although I was the youngest of 6 children, my brother John a Bedean from 1963-1967 went to work in the finance industry. As a border at St Bede’s, holidays were not so much a relaxed time away from school, they were a time for going home and working on the farm.

When my father passed away I took over the running of the farm with my brother John however, just prior to the 2011 Earthquakes, because of location we sold the majority of the farm for development and I now have 40 acres there which I still farm.

After selling to property developers, I went into the Retail store at Farmlands and then on the road selling McMillan Equine feeds for them, because as much as dairy farming is in my blood, so is horse racing. My grandfather Eugene McDermott was a prominent trainer and driver in the harness racing industry, but died suddenly and tragically in the 1939 New Zealand Cup. What makes this even more tragic is that my father, also Eugene McDermott a Bedean from 1936-1939 was listening to the race while here at school. He went on to be the President of the Trotting Club at Addington Raceway and an official at the New Zealand Cup.

My father Eugene, my brother John and I all played on the Wing for the St Bede’s First XV during our different years at St Bede’s. My father scored six tries in the game against Christ College in 1939, a feat that neither John or I could repeat.

We always had horses on the farm and I now breed them for the racing industry. Working for Farmlands and then McMillan Equine feeds has been easier with family life. To begin with, I don’t have to get up as early, but it also means that I have been able to give time to my children, be there for their Saturday sports and for school events.

When I left school, my future was more set than those of some of my school mates, however, I always enjoy catching up with Bedeans wherever I am and seeing the different paths we have all taken.