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Nicola Johns  and Fern at their first New Zealand win in 2021. Supplied. Gundog trialling isn’t a sport that draws crowds or headlines, but it demands the same precision, teamwork and grit as any top-tier competition. To Hurunui’s Nicola Johns, it’s an obsession spanning generations, a sport that has taken her from muddy fields to national titles. Johns, who works as Animal Health Sales Team Leader at North Canterbury Vets, is secretary of the Working Retriever Club and a com

Raised in the small settlement of Ohai, Cheyenne Wilson grew up alongside her father on sheep and beef farms, learning early how to read stock, ride motorbikes and tractors, and work hard for what she wanted. Supplied. Southland’s Cheyenne Wilson never planned on a career in dairying or agribusiness leadership.  Raised in the small settlement of Ohai, she grew up alongside her father on sheep and beef farms, learning early how to read stock, ride motorbikes and tractors, and

It had been a long time coming for me to finally get behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger Stormtrak PHEV. Back in September 2023, I attended a media briefing ahead of Ford publicly announcing that it would be bringing an electrified version of the new-generation Ranger to market. At the time, this was a big deal. There were no electric options in the ute segment, let alone a plug-in hybrid that promised versatility without sacrificing the qualities that make a ute useful — namel

WHEN 11–13 February 2026 TIME: 9am to 5pm Each day WHERE: Waimumu, Gor e, 12km from Gore. 575 Waimumu Road, Gore 9774 TICKETS: Adults: $25 Children under 16: Free Students with valid student ID: Free   What’s On Exhibitors Over 700 exhibitors showcasing the latest in rural technology, machinery and innovation from New Zealand and overseas. Competitions and Live Action • CablePrice Regional Excavator Operator Competition • TPNZ Tractor Pull featuring four classes • Speed Shea

Grant Lightfoot first came up with the for Kiwi Econet idea years ago while working as a commercial diver on offshore oil rigs, spending weeks at a time in a decompression chamber. Supplied. A Southland deer farmer who once hand-knitted his first 50 metres of bale netting is now preparing to take his invention to agricultural events across Europe — and has caught the attention of Prince William along the way. Orepuki farmer Grant Lightfoot, inventor of the edible jute bale ne

Dylan Aymes (left) and Hannah Williamson have worked in hospitality together for years – and now they are not just good mates, but business partners. Claire Inkson When Hannah Williamson and Dylan Amyes unlocked the doors to D.O.T.I in June last year, they did it on a leap of faith.  Redundancy had pushed them out of their long-held roles at Waipara Hills, and although they both temporarily picked up jobs elsewhere, they were still searching for what came next. Then the old A

Markham Street Festival Sunday 15 February Amberley Township • Family-friendly community festival on Amberley’s oldest street • Handpicked local stalls, food trucks and live music • Dedicated kids’ zone behind the Amberley Hotel (face painting, balloons, bouncy castle, youth activities) • Lions Club fundraising raffle at each end of the street • Local shops open, plus displays from community groups • Moved to Sunday to avoid Saturday sport and support traders • Free entry A r

Sally Macdonald has run her clothing shop, Sally Macs,  in Amberley for 29 years. Amberley is a town with one foot firmly planted in its rural past and the other stepping confidently into a future of boutique shopping, modern cuisine and wine-region tourism.  It is both a service town and a destination, a place where you can pick up fencing gear or stock feed in the morning and enjoy a long lunch, winery tasting or artisan shopping in the afternoon.  Increasingly, it is a tow

Andy Macfarlane spent a lot of his life improving relationships and understanding around deer farming. Supplied. Ashburton man Andy Macfarlane was “a bit staggered” when he found out he’d received a New Years Honour. “It was the last thing I was expecting.” Macfarlane was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2026 Honours for his service to the Deer Industry. He and his wife Tricia have been a part of the industry for over 40 years. “We started

Young Farmers are the future of New Zealand agriculture, so each issue we shine a spotlight on a Young Farmers Club member. Today we talk to Abbey White from Clinton Young Farmers Club Abbey’s club describes her as the kind of leader who quietly lifts the whole team. As Chair, she’s often the first to turn up, the last to leave, and the one making sure everyone feels part of the action. Her willingness to pitch in, encourage others, and keep the club moving forward has made

Storytelling has been in my bones for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was seven, I’ve wanted to write. When I was 15, my father bought me my first proper camera - a second-hand Olympus 35mm that I treasured and still have today.  I’d wander around our farm taking photos, jotting down every camera setting in a notebook so I could figure out what worked and what didn’t. Agriculture has always been my anchor.  I have the deepest respect for the people who work the land a

70 Synlait farmers who travelled to Shanghai take the stage at CIIE. Supplied. Synlait Milk marked one of its biggest occasions of the year at the China International Import Expo (CIIE). Hosted at Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Centre from 5 to 10 November, this is the world’s largest import expo, attracting over 400,000 visitors and more than 4,000 exhibitors from 138 countries. This was Synlait’s eight consecutive year at the expo showcasing how, through thei

A few years ago, I decided to get some chickens to help tidy up the vege garden over winter. The last thing I wanted was for some of my former colleagues to come knocking on my door, so I spent a few hours digging through district plans knowing the rules can be very different depending on whether you’re in Christchurch, Rolleston, or Ashburton. Simplifying planning makes sense. Provided everyone follows the rules and is considerate. But there’s always that ONE person who sets

Methven farmer John McCaw fears the council’s stockwater service exit could come at the detriment of a natural waterway intertwined in the network. McCaw said he supported Ashburton District Council's decision to end the service in Mid Canterbury, but warned that a full closure “represents a grave threat to the future of the Mount Harding Creek”. “It’s more than just a water race." He is happy to see the end of the stockwater service but wants the water to still be used to ma

Ashburton deputy mayor Richard Wilson, who chairs the stockwater transition group, described the decision to partially close the Pudding Hill stockwater race network as “a significant decision in our district's history". SUPPLIED The oldest stockwater scheme in Mid Canterbury has become the first domino to fall in a “significant decision in the district’s history”. The Ashburton District Council is working to exit the stockwater service delivery by June 30, 2027. The council

Hemp New Zealand business manager Nigel Hosking shows Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour around the Ashburton Hemp facility. Anisha Satya Hemp is not a drug – that was the message Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regulation David Seymour shared while announcing a reform of growing rules at the Hemp New Zealand Ashburton facility. Industrial hemp will no longer require a licence to grow if the plants contain less than 1% of THC (the cannabis compound). Seymour said the

Farmer and chartered accountant Hamish Irwin was one of three new grower directors appointed to the board. Supplied A new Mid Canterbury face has joined the Foundation for Arable Research’s (FAR) ranks. Farmer and chartered accountant Hamish Irwin was one of three new grower directors appointed to the board. “I’ve had a bit of interest in governance for a while,” he said. “This position came up, I got a call from a local farmer who said he’d nominate me.” Irwin is the fifth g

Where  and what are you farming? We are farming in the Catlin's in south Otago. Sheep and beef farmers. What year, make, and model is your trusty ute? We have a 2020 Mitsubishi Triton black edition.   What’s your favourite feature (or quirk) about your ute? Even though you cant see it in the photo I love the snorkel, makes her look tough as. What song is always on your playlist when you’re behind the wheel?  We love anything country but my favourite song at the moment is Lady

Where are and what are you farming? We live in cave and have sheep, cattle, horses, ponies, lama, chickens, pig dogs, work dogs, cat and hedgehog.  What year, make, and model is your trusty ute? I drive a 2021 XLT Ford Ranger  What’s your favourite feature (or quirk) about your ute? That it’s a 4x4 and the  dog box. It allows us to go anywhere and take anything with us away to Pop’s station-including pet lambs etc that usually need feeding along the trip.  What song is always

Where are and what are you farming? Run a leased dairy farm in Okato, Coastal Taranaki, milking 165 Ayrshires, Friesians & Dairy Reds (collective name for Normandes, Milking Shorthorns, Fleckviehs & Viking Reds - a herd of licorice allsorts!! )for my parents, who run the home farm right next door. June 1st saw me start my 21st season.   What year, make, and model is your trusty ute? She is a 2020 Ford Ranger FX4, 2l BiTurbo who goes by the name of Fexxy, from rounding up th