Emily never planned on working with cattle. She grew up in a regional town, loved animals, but was quietly told that farming was “hard yakka” and “not really for girls.” She believed it too until a school visit to a cattle property changed her mind.
“I remember thinking, why hasn’t anyone shown us this before?” she says.
Emily’s first job on a beef cattle farm was intimidating. She was the youngest, the least experienced, and often the only woman in the paddock. She made mistakes, missed gates, spooked cattle and asked a lot of questions but she also had mentors who mattered.
“One of the older women took me aside and said, ‘You don’t have to be loud to be capable. Just be steady.’ That stuck.”
Over time, Emily learned to read cattle, move calmly through yards, and trust her judgement. Her confidence grew not from being perfect, but from being supported while learning. Farming taught her resilience, problem-solving, and how to speak up when safety mattered.
Now, Emily loves working with students. “You can see it click,” she says. “Especially with girls who don’t think this space is for them.”
Her advice is simple: “You don’t need to know everything, you just need someone willing to teach you and the courage to try.”
