Cantabrians Abroad / The Milkybar Kid Hayden Luke

Hayden Luke is a warm, enthusiastic individual, passionate about horses, excited by his life in America with his beautiful wife MaryAnn, and 30 years on from his rise to fame as Nestlé’s

‘The Milkybar Kid’ New Zealand, still a lover of white chocolate.

Many of you will remember Hayden Luke as a blue-eyed, blond-haired 10-year-old racing across our television screens on horseback, quoting the now famous line: ‘The Milkybars are on me!’. For those who don’t, or for those who simply want to wander down memory lane, a quick search on YouTube will refresh your memory.

Despite being born in Oamaru and attending high school in Ashburton, for a short period Hayden and his family called the Hawke’s Bay home. And it was here, when out shopping with a friend (Nick) that he came across a form asking for submissions for ‘blond, blue-eyed boys’ to be New Zealand’s Milkybar Kid. ‘We stapled our school photos to the forms and sent them away,’ he laughs. ‘I had no previous experience in acting or modelling and didn’t actually give it much thought.’

Several months went by before Hayden and his friend, Nick, learnt they had both made it to the audition stage. ‘It was hilarious really – we had to get dressed up, draw a gun and say “The Milkybars are on me” over and over again. They

actually told us to spit out the chocolate as over multiple takes it got pretty sickly!’

Another few months went by and while Nick sadly didn’t get the call, Hayden did. ‘It was a long process as I did my second callback and then had to wait several weeks before finding out I had made it to the final three.

‘Dad and I flew to Auckland and I remember sitting in the back of the car with one of the other finalists as we headed from the airport into the city. He had this huge portfolio of previous work; I had nothing.’

Yet a lack of experience certainly didn’t stand in Hayden’s way, and over the Christmas period of 1988 while staying with his grandmother, Nestlé phoned to say the role was his.

‘We only filmed the one commercial but there was a lot of travel involved after that, as I was required to go around New Zealand sharing chocolate at events,’ he describes.

For the 10-year-old Hayden this was a highlight, over the years travelling from Kerikeri to Invercargill, attending events

such as the Paul Holmes Christmas Party where he got to meet his own television heroes. ‘I was just a kid but I never felt out of the loop. I would take my autograph book along and get it filled up with signatures. I remember having a huge crush on Lana Coc-Kroft and being too shy to go up to talk to her at one event.’

While scores of young ladies around New Zealand had their own crush on the Milkybar Kid, Hayden’s parents experienced some challenges with the situation. ‘They did face some backlash about letting me get involved in a process that was limited only to those who were male, blond and had blue eyes,’ explains Hayden. ‘But it was great fun and a huge learning experience. They were, and still are, very supportive.’

Returning to the South Island (Ashburton) in 1989 meant Hayden started at a new school just as his commercial hit the small screen, going a long way in helping him make friends and settle into life in Canterbury. ‘I was given cases and cases of Milkybars and I used to take them to school to give out to friends. The only downside was doing events in Ashburton in front of them,’ he laughs. ‘It was a bit uncomfortable.’

Making the decision to ‘retire’ from his role at 13, Hayden spent three and a half years as New Zealand’s Milkybar Kid. ‘I got too tall,’ he laughs. ‘All up, I made around $5000, which my parents put away for me. It was a huge amount of money in 1989.’

Having finished his small screen role and then high school, Hayden knew that tertiary education wasn’t for him and spent 50 days backpacking around Europe. ‘I came home from travelling and was living in Lincoln with friends when we met these exchange students from the University of Delaware at the local pub.’

Veterinary student MaryAnn Schmidt was one of them. In New Zealand for a month, she left a lasting impression on Hayden who was quick to jump on a plane to go and visit her once she was back home. ‘I stayed for three months and knew it was a place I wanted to work and live in, but I needed a qualification to enter into a role worth getting a visa for.’

Returning to Christchurch, he undertook a 12-month course in Tourism through the Sir George Seymour College before jumping on a plane and returning to America.

While his career in tourism got him a work visa to stay in America, it was short-lived, with Hayden discovering a passion for horses and farrier work (equine hoof care). ‘I often laugh that my first job was riding a horse in a commercial and 30 years later I am still working with them.’

Never one to shy away from hard work, Hayden spent a couple of days a week learning about the role of a farrier through a friend of MaryAnn’s. ‘He told me he couldn’t afford to pay me but he’d buy me lunch. So I rode with him, learning the trade and helping out before deciding I wanted to do my apprenticeship.’

While no official qualification is required to work as a farrier in America, there is a two-year apprenticeship programme. ‘I wanted more than that,’ he explains, ‘so I worked for five years under Eddie Scheckner, who is hugely respected in the industry.’

Describing his career as the most physical job he has ever had to do, Hayden has now spent 15 years working as a farrier in Maryland, many of those as his own boss.

‘I often laugh that my first job was riding a horse in a commercial and 30 years later I am still working with them.’

For 14 of those years he has been married to MaryAnn, his original reason for heading offshore. ‘My true home is New Zealand but I have been in America for 20 years now and home is definitely where the heart is.’

Hard work has seen the couple build up the farrier business as well as run their own horse farm, Silver Fern. ‘We have around 17 horses on our property; 11 are ours and the rest boarders.’ While MaryAnn left her veterinary studies to enter into the world of banking, she now runs the boarding facility and manages the breeding aspect of their operation. ‘Our aim is to get foals on the show circuit locally and build an awareness of good, strong bloodlines.’

With his parents still in Ashburton, Hayden returns to our shores at least once a year to ‘unwind and stock up on Milkybars’ – as believe it or not, it is still his favourite chocolate treat!

‘My true home is New Zealand but I have been in America for 20 years now and home is definitely where the heart is.’