International Rural Women's Day - Shannon Fry

Shannon Fry has built her farming career from the ground up, progressing from shepherding into genetics and management at Cleardale Station in the Rakaia Gorge. With a hands-on approach and a strong interest in stock performance, she represents a new generation of women building serious careers on farm.

You came from a Christchurch city upbringing and competitive dancing into farming. When did you first feel that agriculture was where you really belonged?

Growing up in Christchurch gave me great exposure to a variety of different opportunities including competitive dancing which I competed in for 20years. I’m so thankful to have had those opportunities but my ties to agriculture stem back to family roots and my favourite place growing up, Banks Peninsula. Every weekend or school holiday where I wasn’t tied up with competitions or other commitments I was on the peninsula. I spent a vast amount of time with my cousins on farm, and as we grew up we had the opportunity to do more to help out. My first on farm memory I can remember I was primary school age. We were on school holidays and I went to the peninsula to stay as normal. My cousins and I helped bring the sheep in for shearing, we mustered on foot and I can remember everyone having so much fun. When we arrived back at the homestead there was a huge array of different food set out for lunch, we all sat around the table and ate together after a good mornings work. That is a fond memory that I still think of today. I’ve always loved being outdoors and spending time with family; helping on the farm and being around stock was an added bonus. That time spent on the peninsula surrounded by people so passionate about farming is what started it all and here we are 20 odd years later and I’m literally living my dream. I mean who doesn’t want a beautiful New Zealand landscape as their office?

You started at Cleardale as a shepherd and have since moved into genetics and now management. What have been the biggest lessons as your responsibilities have grown?

My biggest responsibility for the genetic programs are making sure we record the right data traits at the right time and making sure it is done in the most efficient way possible whilst creating the least amount of opportunity for human error so we can be as accurate as possible. Also keeping accurate records of everything we do and submitting those records on time.

Genetics has become a real passion for you. What do you enjoy most about seeing the decisions you make today coming through in the next generation of animals?

I find it most rewarding when we look back at our stock and their datasets and see the generational progress occurring through various traits. Being able to track an individual animals progress whether it be an offspring history or a sires success rate, tracking different elements is not only interesting but I think it has helped us narrow down our strengths and weaknesses and find the areas we can improve faster as we can see the raw data infront of us and make calls to further improve our stocks performance and meet our genetic targets. Genetics have become such an active part of modern agriculture and although I believe phenotype still has a role to play within stock selection, raw data doesn’t lie.

You previously said that at Cleardale it has never been about being male or female, but about being the best person for the job. Do you think that is increasingly the experience for young women coming into farming?

I think back to my first animal science laboratory at Lincoln University in 2018 and I remember joking with the small handful of girls in attendance that the class was about 80/90% males. I guarantee if I went back to that laboratory class today it would be a whole different story. I think the perspective around women in the industry has significantly changed and although I can’t speak for every person in the industry, I’ve thankfully never had negative experience in any environment where I have felt like my gender has been the limiting factor.

I’ve never been one to let anything stop me if it’s something I’m truly passionate about and there were people in my life when I was younger that doubted whether or not I would follow through with an agriculture career not but because of my gender because I grew up in the city and was a competitive dancer surrounded by the glitz and glam of that world, it has been a great feeling to prove them all wrong.

What does being a rural woman mean to you in 2026?

I’m proud to be a rural women in New Zealand. I think it takes a certain type of person to commit to farming as a full-time career and I’m grateful to be surrounded by likeminded people who want to do their best by the industry.

I think being a rural women means you aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty when the goings tough and being able find a way to achieve whatever goal has been set before you to the best of your ability. Giving things your all, not being afraid to fail and learning from your mistakes.

What is the one thing you would change for rural women tomorrow if you could?

For the younger generation of women sitting on the fence debating to join the industry, doubting their own abilities and whether or not they can succeed. All I can say is ‘Just do it’. You don’t have to know everything or be the best at everything on the first go, if you have the drive, commitment and a willing to give things a go then what’s holding you back other then yourself. The industry needs more young people coming through and your background and prior knowledge won’t hold you back.

What’s your rural superpower, the skill, quality or instinct you rely on most?

My ability to problem solve and look at situations in different light when things aren’t working. As ever farmer knows, each day is different and working with stock always keeps you on your toes. What worked yesterday doesn’t always work today, and being able to read situations and adjust to better suit our desired outcomes is something I believe I am good at.