Mitta Dairies: How Olympian Richard Hamilton made the move to dairy farming

What’s the difference between training for the Olympics and running a dairy farm? Richard Hamilton says they’re more alike than you think.

Richard Hamilton is a farm manager for Mitta Dairies. He was on the British rowing team from 1990 to 1998, and was junior world champion in 1991. Picture: Zoe Phillips.

At first glance, there may not be too many similarities between being an Olympic athlete and being a dairy farmer.

But Tallangatta South dairy farmer Richard Hamilton would beg to differ.

He’s transferred his passion, training regimens and dedication from the rowing boat to the milking shed in his role as operations manager at Mitta Dairies.

“I love the outdoors. And in sports, there’s a lot of what ifs. It’s the same with weather, with rainfall … I can’t control what the milk price is,” Richard said.

“All I can do is control what is in my own rowing boat, or on my own farm. I’ve just transferred it to anther skill set.”

Originally from the UK, Richard was on the British rowing team from 1990 to 1998, and was junior world champion in 1991.

He then made a move from rowing to the green pastures of New Zealand to coach rowing at a boys’ college in 2004, before moving to Australia in 2011 to begin his dairying career.

“In dairying, everything is measurable. How much grass, how much protein, grain, what your fat percentage is … you can measure that,” Richard said.

“In a basic form, I’ve got 1000 athletes that have to perform every day. If you look at them as athletes, from an energy perspective, every two days a cow is running the equivalent of a marathon.

“That’s what I love about this, everything is measurable. What I’ve brought to the industry is a mindset from sport. Whatever nature throws at us, we can’t control. But we can control our response.”

Richard works alongside Mitta Dairies owner and director Mac Paton and his wife Pat, whose sons Tom, David and Archie are also directors.

The original farm, Erne­bank, has been in the Paton family for 150 years. Across the operation, 1000 milkers and 1500 beef cattle are run across six leasing properties, which total 2500ha.

The milking cows produce about 530,000 to 550,000kg milk solids a year.

Using a crossbred bull, Richard said the farm is able to produce milk high in both fat and protein.

“We’ve got a cow weighing about 500kg producing 610kg in milk solids, she’s producing her body weight and more. That’s an efficient cow,” Richard said.

“Our milk production has grown every year. Six years ago we had about 450 milkers.”

Richard’s driven approach to self-improvement and discipline extends beyond the farm gate to the Boys to the Bush initiative, a mentoring program designed to support underprivileged boys by getting them on to farms to connect with strong male role models.

“It’s unashamedly male-centred. We’re trying to teach the next generation to respect women properly.”

“We’ve expanded into one-on-one mentoring. These boys are meeting farmers, who are just good honest blokes,” Richard said.