November 2009 – After a year in the delightful Emerald Isle, aka Ireland, it was still a true pleasure to get back to the mountains of New Zealand. A week tailing up in the Okuku Pass in North Canterbury was perfect training terrain for my three-year-old mare Zula, and an overall fantastic few days amongst some hard work, great chats, many laughs, and the best dinners ever. 

August 2016 – “Why don’t you go and lie on a beach like a normal person for your two week annual leave holiday?!” Mothers are so honest aren’t they?! Well, it was my ideal idea of a two week holiday – taking off to inland Queensland to learn all about pregnancy testing on a cattle station, becoming familiar with brahman and limousin cattle, and being in the company of the oh so wonderful Michelle and David Fryer of Railview Station, a stone’s throw from a little dusty town called Prairie. What a treat, and I came home feeling so refreshed and energised, with more life skills to tuck in my cap for another day. For more info on how this farm rolls, see the published article in the Farming section.