Monday, 17 October 2016 10:55

Enterprising Rural Women Awards entrants for 2016

Written by 
Wendy McGowan, RWNZ National President and judge for the awards. Wendy McGowan, RWNZ National President and judge for the awards.

Six businesses are competing in three categories this year at the Enterprising Rural Women Awards (ERWA).

Rural Women New Zealand’s annual awards showcase rural women who run their own successful businesses. For the entrants, it is an opportunity to promote their innovative rural enterprise and gain recognition for their contribution to their community.

Each category winner receives $1,000 in prize money and a trophy, with a further $1,000 being awarded to the supreme winner who is judged as an exceptional rural business women. Prizes also include clothing from Swazi Apparel and from the Agri-Women’s Development Trust $400 worth of executive coaching for each category winner and an additional $3,400 professional development package for the supreme winner.

2016 ERWA categories:

- Emerging Enterprising Rural Woman Award (Inspiring business or community leader)

- Innovative Enterprising Rural Woman Award (Use of new technology and adapting to rural location)

- Entrepreneurial Enterprising Rural Woman Award (Business success in horticulture, agricultural, dairy, tourism or rural sector).

“This year we have seen some very dynamic businesses emerging in the regions,” says Wendy McGowan, RWNZ National President and judge for the awards.

The judging panel also includes representatives from our partners ANZ Bank, Swazi New Zealand and HP New Zealand. They have been impressed by the high calibre of entries and “outstanding rural business women.”

RWNZ acknowledges additional competition partners Agrisea New Zealand and WIZwireless Ltd.

2016 ERWA entrants:

Barbara Faulls: Smiths Farm Holiday Camp, Picton: www.smithsfarm.co.nz 

Smiths Farm in proud to offer a quality holiday with space, peace and the clean country air and has been rated as 4+STAR and Enviro Silver by Qualmark. Situated on a working beef farm, the park is a base from which to relax, explore the Marlborough Sounds.

Bernadette Jackson: LaValla Estate, Tuakau: www.lavalla.co.nz 

Function and event centre with accommodation and a theatre. The venue recently hosted the Fieldays Bachelor Breakfast with Rural Women New Zealand. The key deliverables for the venue are rest, feast, play and focus.

Marian Hirst: Bay Blueberries, Hastings: www.bayblueberries.co.nz 

Passionate about producing quality apples and blueberries in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. Recipient of the 2016 Balance Farm Environmental Supreme Award for the East Coast Region.

Monique and Lyn Neeson: Shear Warmth, Taumarunui: www.shearwarmth.co.nz 

Produce top quality wool blankets, made in New Zealand and can be traced back to wool grown on the family farm. The sheep and beef farm Awarima recently featured on Country Calendar.

Helen Slattery: Slattery Contracting Limited, Matamata: www.slatterycontracting.co.nz

The Slattery Family has been involved in Ag Contracting since the mid 1950’s, starting hay making and cultivating land. The business has grown from harvesting conventional hay bales, ploughing and undersowing to a wide range of services.

Amy Dibley: Physio Direct, Rotorua: www.physiodirectnz.com 

Amy Dibley started Physio Direct when she realised that many small rural areas do not have adequate physiotherapy services. Amy grew up on a dairy farm in Ngongotaha on the outskirts of Rotorua, She understands the physical demands of a rural life and believes everyone should have the right to health services which is why she offers physiotherapy to small communities.

The winners will be announced at the Enterprising Rural Women Awards ceremony on Saturday 12 November in Wellington.

More like this

Look out for rural communities - RWNZ

Rural Women NZ is calling for a commitment to improving the health and well-being of rural families and enhancing rural communities’ reliance from all candidates at this year’s general election.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter