Where She Stands: Lily Scully and a New Generation of Wahine in Farming
Out at Paroa Station, where the whenua rises and falls in long, demanding lines above Tolaga Bay, leadership does not arrive loudly. It is built in the rhythm of the day. It shows in the way someone turns up, learns quickly, backs their team, and holds their ground when things get tough.
This week, that kind of leadership was recognised in a special way.
Miss Lily Tangiora Scully, 20, of Paroa Station, received the Inaugural Emerging Leader Award at the Rakanui Field Day.
Grounded in the whenua, shaped by the journey
Lily’s journey into farming has not followed a straight line. It has been shaped by movement, adaptation, and a willingness to step into unfamiliar spaces.
Growing up in the South Island before relocating to Tairāwhiti with her whānau around six years ago, Lily experienced first-hand the contrast between two very different farming environments. The colder, snow-affected systems of the south gave way to the steep, rugged hill country of the East Coast. It is a shift that demands not just physical adjustment, but a deepening of instinct and awareness.
“The hill country is a lot rougher and meaner,” she says, matter-of-factly.
That grounding has become part of her strength. It has built a practical understanding of land, stock, and systems that cannot be taught in a classroom alone.
Her entry point into the industry began simply. A casual job alongside her dad opened the door, followed by a more structured pathway through Future Farmers. From there, she was placed at Paroa Station, where she has now spent the last three years growing into her role.
What stands out is not just that she stayed, but how she stayed. Learning the land. Taking on responsibility. Becoming someone others can rely on.
“I love everything about farming. I love the physical side, being on the land… I love the whole lot.”
There is a sense of alignment in that. This is not just a job. It is something she has chosen, and continues to choose.
Earning her place, on her own terms
Receiving the Emerging Leader Award is a significant moment, but for Lily, it is grounded in something more personal.
“I’m just proud of myself for getting here,” she says. “I had a lot of ‘you won’t be able to do it, you’re a girl, you can’t do it’… and I’m doing what I’m doing.”
That experience is not unique, but it is rarely spoken about this plainly. For many wāhine entering farming, there are still assumptions to navigate, expectations to push against, and environments that do not always make space easily.
What is notable in Lily’s approach is that she has not been distracted by that noise. Instead, she has stayed focused on the work itself.
Her drive is steady and internal.
“Even when it’s tough, I’ll still stick through. I just try to keep on top of things. I don’t like disappointing anybody.”
That sense of accountability matters. In a farming context, where outcomes are shared and pressure is constant, reliability is leadership. It is the person who shows up prepared, who follows through, who holds the standard.
Over time, those habits build trust. And trust is what leadership is built on.
The kind of leadership our sector needs
Lily’s story reflects something broader that is happening across Tairāwhiti and the wider sector.
There is a growing recognition that leadership in farming is not defined by age, gender, or title. It is defined by capability, consistency, and connection to the land.
For emerging leaders like Lily, that looks like:
learning through doing, not just observing
taking ownership early, even when the stakes feel high
building confidence alongside competence, not waiting for permission
contributing to a team environment where everyone lifts together
It also speaks to the importance of the environments around them. Pathways like Future Farmers, supportive farm teams, and stations like Paroa that are willing to invest in young people all play a critical role.
Without those systems of support, talent often goes unseen or underdeveloped.
With them, young people like Lily are able to step into their potential and stay there.
This is where the sector has an opportunity. Not just to celebrate emerging leaders when they succeed, but to actively grow them, back them, and create more spaces where they can thrive.
Keeping it grounded, looking ahead
Lily is clear about what she wants her story to do. It is not about recognition for its own sake.
“All I really want is to encourage young women to get into farming,” she says. “Everyone is capable and there is no reason we can’t.”
There is a quiet determination in that statement. It is not about challenging for the sake of it, but about widening what is seen as possible.
“And never let anybody talk you out of something that you love doing.”
That whakaaro lands strongly, particularly in a sector where passion for the land is often what sustains people through its toughest moments.
The next generation
Lily Scully represents more than an individual achievement. She reflects the strength and potential of the next generation coming through. For those already in the sector, her story is a reminder of what matters. The role we each play in creating pathways, offering support, and recognising potential early.
Lily Scully’s achievement deserves to be celebrated. Not just because she received an award, but because of what it represents.
It represents:
a young wāhine choosing a path and holding it
a sector that is slowly, but surely, expanding who it makes space for
the importance of backing emerging leaders early, and well
If there is a call to act from this moment, it is not complicated.
It is to notice our emerging leaders.
To back them with real opportunities and support. And to ensure that the next generation of wāhine see themselves reflected in the future of farming in Tairāwhiti.
For young wāhine looking in from the outside, it offers something equally important. A clear, real example that there is a place for them here.
And that they are more than capable of claiming it.
Congratulations, Lily.