Caitlin Snodgrass won the Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. Photo / Catherine Fry
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This Coast & Country News story by Catherin Fry was originally published on September 27.
During her first season working in the dairy industry, 30-year-old Caitlin Snodgrass was runner-up in the dairy trainee section of the Auckland/Hauraki 2024 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
This year, she entered again and took home the title, along with two merit awards: the Franklin Vets Farming Knowledge Award and the Taylor Brothers Transport Communication and Industry Involvement Award.
“The first time I entered was due to an extremely strong push from a friend, saying it would be a really good experience for me,” she said.
“I was petrified, but I did it, all the while feeling like a complete impostor and right out of my comfort zone.
“The second time, I was challenging myself and trying to beat myself.
“I focused on enjoying meeting all the judges and sponsors, and I was really happy to have stepped up and taken the win.”
Snodgrass was raised in central Auckland and went to Epsom Girls’ Grammar School.
For her tertiary education, she started studying for a Bachelor of Commerce at Otago University.
“Started is the operative word, as I decided I wanted to study for a health-related degree,” she said.
“I moved back to Auckland and graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science from AUT.”
She moved into the corporate side of health services, working in mental health, disability, aged care and general health helplines and digital platforms.
The focus was on service-user experience, understanding what people wanted and whether the services met those needs.
“I’ve struggled with my own mental health since I was 12,” she said.
“Covid-19 and working within the sector exacerbated everything, and my own mental health started to go downhill.”
Burnt out and suffering from depression, Snodgrass knew she had to stop and get help.
“I took a year out and went through some intensive therapy, received a surprise adulthood diagnosis of ADHD, and rebuilt my confidence to look for work outside the industry I had trained for.”
She knew she loved animals, and she had the skills to study, so she did a one-year Certificate in Rural Animal Technology through Wintec.
“I did placements at vets in the Hauraki Plains during the course.
“I met heaps of farmers and was soon being asked to do relief milking and calf-rearing work.
“I absolutely loved the hands-on stock work and being outside, and I started to ask myself if I could do this all the time.
“I knew nothing about driving a tractor or riding a motorbike, I’d only ever driven an automatic car.”
Snodgrass was offered the role of farm assistant at Stu and Karen Davey’s 220-hectare, 650-cow Paeroa farm, working under share milkers Tessa and Brendan Hopson, and has proved to herself that she can do the job.
She is 85% of the way through her Level 3 ITO Apprenticeship in Dairy Farming.
She is particularly proud of how far she has come with her practical skills, and this city girl now handles tractors, motorbikes and farm implements with confidence.
“Once I wasn’t strong enough to roll a down cow, and that really annoyed me, so I got back into the gym, which is good for both my physical and mental health.
“Now I can roll cows and heave around big bags of minerals.”
“The awards experience is incredibly valuable, offering excellent networking opportunities with industry leaders, potential employers and inspiring mentors,” Snodgrass said.
“It’s helped me to identify my strengths and areas needing growth so I can further develop my learning and skills.”
Work-life balance is crucial, and Snodgrass takes part in Surfing for Farmers and is a member of the Young Farmers, though she laughs and says that she’ll be too old for that soon, so she’ll join the Dairy Women’s Network instead.
She is looking forward to mentoring the Auckland/Hauraki 2026 NZ Dairy Industry Awards Dairy Trainee entrants.
“I love learning, and I’m keen to deepen my knowledge of farming and work my way to being a confident and competent farm manager.
“I’m looking for a herd manager or 2IC position next, but first I have a ‘now or never’ two-month trip to Europe coming up.”
Snodgrass and her partner, who has contract-milking experience and is a beekeeper, would like to contract or sharemilk in the future.
They will be moving in together after her European adventure.
“Beyond that, I’m open to farm ownership or a research-based role focusing on preventative health and genetics, or, if life permits, all of the above.”
Snodgrass finds being outside and working with stock very grounding.
“The main thing is I’m doing something that makes me happy.”