Switching from university student to dairy farm worker has benefited Karl Hewitt's rugby big time.
"It's been a big adjustment. When I'm not milking cows I'm repairing fences and doing other physical stuff ... I'm virtually on my feet all day," the Taradale halfback said after becoming this season's first-round winner in the Tui-Hawke's Bay Today Club Player of the Year award.
Hewitt, 20, was home on vacation from his Otago University physical-education course last year when he took on milking cows as a holiday job on Doug Grieve's Patoka farm. He enjoyed it so much he took on the role fulltime in January.
The only time the son of former Taradale halfback Russell Hewitt and nephew of former Taradale, Magpies and All Black hooker Norm Hewitt isn't on his feet is when he is on a motorbike rounding up the 360 cows for milking.
"Most of the time the cows are too far away from the shed for me to walk. They listen to me better when I'm on the motorbike," Hewitt said.