The turnip and sunflower crop may tower above Zara Cosh on the Huntly dairy farm she manages - but her height won't be holding her back when she competes in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Young Farmer Regionals next weekend.
She's one of three women who've made it through
to the regionals and organisers say it's a first to have so many taking part.
"The farming industry isn't a man's domain now, and more and more women are getting into it which is pretty awesome to see. And we're more than capable of doing the job a guy can do. And just by having a mostly female district in the district challenge and having three women in the regionals this year, it just shows you men don't have to do it all anymore," Cosh said
Over In Te Awamutu in the Waipa district, Racheal Phillips is also preparing for the competition and has been brushing up on her mechanical skills with the help of a few friends.
"I've got four-hundred flashcards to practice on Saturday night, just questions and answers just little things like that. But hopefully working on a farm will be to my benefit. Most of the modules and things are day-to-day skills that I should be used to doing on the farm," Phillips said
