Ashburton Courier: May 07, 2020

Tania takes out
dairy women award
BE INTO
By Toni Williams
Mid Canterbury farmer and personal
development coach Tania Burrows has
won the inaugural Dairy Women’s
Network Regional Leader of the Year
award.
The newly­established award was set
up to recognise the work done for the
industry by the 70 volunteer regional
leaders nationwide.
Tania, up against three other national
finalists, farms with husband Johno,
milking 1000 cows on a255 hectare
property at Valetta.
They also run a170 hectare run­off
block opposite the farm and have up to
1000 heifer replacements. They winter
their own stock.
Just over two years ago Tania trained
as an accredited coach with the
International Coach Federation. It
helped her bridge the gap from a
teaching career to farming.
‘‘Coaching is aseries of powerful
conversations that help you discover
what is truly important to you.
‘‘It helps us get to know ourselves on
adeep level, use what we discover to
break down barriers to our success, find
our strengths and move ourselves
forward, creating sustainable change
and the lifestyles and the businesses we
really want to have.’’
The couple have three daughters;
Kerstin, 14, Catriona, 11, and Lavinia, 7,
who love the animals, the wide open
spaces and freedom to explore.
‘‘Farming really is agreat way to raise
afamily,’’ Tania said.
She grew up farming in the
Karangahake Gorge, near Paeroa. Her
parents farmed dairy goats for anumber
of years and owned agricultural
contracting businesses.
Tania and Johno began farming
together in North Otago in 2010, when
the milk payout was $3.90.
She said the combined challenges of
Dairy Women’s Network regional
leader of the year winner Tania
Burrows, of Mid Canterbury, with
family dog Seek.
the low payout with alarge mortgage
and the business structure of the farm
helped them focus on their farming and
business management values.
While they have been following a
dairy farming path with agoal to own
their own farm, Tania said one challenge
has been living away from family.
‘‘We really miss the support of having
family close by. Family is areally big
value for us so we make frequent visits to
the North Island.’’ However farming at
Valetta does have its perks not to
mention the most amazing views of Mt
Somers and Mt Hutt.
She got involved with the Dairy
Women’s Network to meet women with
asimilar outlook and has been a
regional leader for the past four years.
‘‘DWN acknowledges the vital role
women play in our industry and our
rural communities. They are often the
unsung heroes that keep all the wheels
turning behind the scenes.’’
No Christchurch show
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Mid Canterbury dairy
farmer Peter Gilbert has
beentothe Canterbury
Agricultural and Pastoral
Showevery year for all of
his 60 years.
But this year’s show,
now the New Zealand
Agricultural Show, has
beencancelled by Covid­
19. Thereisno show for
the first time since World
War II.
The former past
president was gutted but
saiditwas ahard,but right
decision. ‘‘So much work
getsdone, thereisalot of
time, effortand money
involved.’’
He said makingthe
decision to cancel six
months out would save the
association somemoney,
making it easiertocarry
on and have showsinthe
future.
Mr Gilbert has been
going to the showevery
yearsince he was born; he
showed his first cow back
in 1978, aged 19.
In the following years
he has been aregular
exhibitor, active
committee member,past
president and judge.
He said every year the
committee,its board and
eventhose within the
event company were
continually looking at
Mid Canterbury farmer Peter Gilbert, with wife
Anne, is apast Christchurch show president.
ways to make the show
better.
‘‘Showweek bringsso
many people to
Canterbury. It’s amassive
week. It will affectthe
whole country, not just
Canterbury.’’
Mr Gilberthas not
shown his cows for the
past two years due to
Mycoplasma bovis, but
was planning to thisyear.
‘‘Obviously we won’tbe.
It will be strange that
week, abit of an empty
feeling I’d say.’’
Mr Gilbertsaid the
show needed all the helpit
could get and the
associationwas hopeful
members would continue
with their annual
subscriptions. They had
also started afunding
campaign.
New Zealand
Agricultural Show
president ChrisHerbert
announced the
cancellationwith great
sadness. ‘‘With over 500
volunteers and 2500
individual competitions,
the New Zealand
Agricultural Show is a
symbol of community,
historyand heritage.’’
He said all 2020
sponsors and trade
exhibitors would get their
money back or be given
the optiontosupport the
show in 2021.
No decision has been
made on the Ashburton
A&P Show.Organisers
hope to meetsoon.
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