Kate Belcher, of Glenorchy, won the Stay, Play Rural category, and Chanelle Purser, of Crookston, received a certificate for Emerging Enterprising Young Rural Woman.
Mrs Belcher and her husband, Matt, own rural tourism company Revolution Tours Ltd, which runs four-day, three-night fully guided and supported cycling and walking tours around Lake Wakatipu and across the area's high-country stations.
Mrs Purser, a dairy farmer, owns Carvin Streetwear in Gore, which was named top shop for Otago Southland and runner-up in the national supreme award at the Retail NZ Top Shop awards.
Rural Women New Zealand president Wendy McGowan said Mrs Purser impressed the judges with her retail success and commitment to youth in rural communities.
The supreme award was won by Joanne Taylor, who started Latitude Media from her Canterbury home in 2007.
Mrs Taylor, who also won the Making it in Rural category, co-owns the business with her husband, Deane, but is solely responsible for the operational side. The couple are also arable farmers, producing vegetable seed.
In the seven years of the competition, vibrant rural businesses had increasingly appealed to urban residents, tourists and the rural community. That had been reflected by Mrs Taylor, who had succeeded in pursuing her publishing dream while also supporting rural communities, Mrs McGowan said.
Bronwyn Muir, of Stratford, won the Help, I Need Somebody category, for providing health and safety advice to farmers through OnFarmSafety NZ. Love of the Land was won by Marie Taylor for the restoration of native plants through her nursery, Plant Hawkes Bay Ltd.
Bridget Canning, of WizWireless Ltd, was awarded a certificate of special recognition for her contribution to rural telecommunications services for Wairarapa residents.
