Max and Sarah’s muddy life heads down under

Dairy farmers switch Somerset for New Zealand’s South Island and a decade of muddy life down under

Sarah and Max are fast approaching 10 years of muddy love together after meeting on Muddy Matches and it’s been some journey; one that has seen them emigrate to the other side of the world.

For the Somerset born and bred pair, the Muddy Matches experience started in the summer of 2010 when Max took a liking to Sarah’s profile and took the plunge to message her.

“He messaged me first,” Sarah tells us. “We then messaged a few times back and forward before deciding to meet in person. Max told me where he was working so I actually did a bit of ‘research’ before we met for the first time!”

It was to prove to be a lifechanging moment for both – and not just in the usual sense of a blossoming Muddy Matches- inspired relationship.

Whilst the couple enjoyed a first date at a pub, went on dog walks together and then set up home as a couple, that is all now a fond but distant memory.

Their muddy life is, in fact, now 12,000 miles away in New Zealand.

2 years ago, the pair took the ‘big decision’ to up sticks and emigrate to Invercargill on New Zealand’s South Island where they now live with a hand reared wild goat, a Nubian and a small herd of cross bred sheep that Sarah describes as ‘nothing special’.

It’s a million miles from living out of Max’s house in Yeovil where their relationship bloomed just six months after first chatting on Muddy Matches.

And even from the other side of the world there is no doubting the duo’s country credentials. “I’m a full time dairy farmer and my life revolves around cows” Sarah tells us. “I’m usually covered in cow poo. Max used to work on a dairy farm in the UK as a tractor driver so we have a lot in common; we both love farms, machinery and our goats!

“So you could say I’m very muddy, yeah.” Sarah turns our attentions back to emigrating.

“We moved in together nearly 9 ½ years ago in the UK but in 2013 I took a work placement in New Zealand for 6 months. I loved it. Max came out to see me for a holiday and never went home again! Our relationship grew from strength to strength.”

Life in the southern hemisphere got even better when the pair got engaged during a holiday to Australia 4 years ago. Then 2 years on, the journey was complete.

“A trip back to England in 2018 was a big decision for us as we went back to pack up our English lives and sent everything out in a big container to New Zealand.”

There’s been a marriage since – a year ago – with a few family and friends from the UK.
“We had a helicopter trip to a remote beach followed by photos on the dairy farm, and a tractor ride to a small evening reception in a rural private house in Western Southland, named Paddock 186.” Sarah recalls.

And muddy life continues at pace.
“We have recently moved into a hexagonal house with a 5 acre paddock for our goats and our few sheep. The future for us will, I’m sure, involve many more animals and one day a family to share it with.

Everyone at Muddy Matches country life online dating wishes Max and Sarah a happy future together.”