Ms Bateup, 22, said she would miss coming home after a day’s work on Fairlight Station and talking to the other two women about their days.
From a dairy farm in the Waikato, she took a gap year after leaving school and worked in the agricultural industry before heading to Massey University where she studied animal science, majoring in genetics and breeding.
Keen to do something different, she applied for the Fairlight programme as she was interested in the sheep and beef industry but had no experience in it, and did not know how to get a foot in the door.
She relished the variety of work along with the leadership courses and the opportunity to develop herself both professionally and personally.
All interns were given a 12-week-old heading pup and her’s, Ted, was going well, recently shifting a mob of two-tooth ewes by himself.
Daily life on the station could include anything from shifting stock to fencing, processing muttons or working in the deer shed. After graduating, she was keen to stay in the South Island and build up a team of dogs.
Down the track, she might work her way up to stock manager and beyond, or go off-farm to explore a more professional side of the industry.
Her advice to any women thinking about applying for Fairlight was to "give it a go".
"You really don’t know until you try. Even if you make mistakes, it’s no big deal. You learn from those mistakes and you have mentors for life. I’ve been pushed outside my comfort zone but in a good way."
