Anita Kendrick

Some people are simply born to farm, and Anita Kendrick is undoubtedly one of them. Growing up on sheep and beef farms in the King Country, Anita has always felt at home in the outdoors. She says: 

Today, Anita is the Stock Manager at Te Whārua Farm in the Central North Island, where she continues to demonstrate her unwavering commitment to farming and inspire those around her.

Anita’s journey at Te Whārua Farm started at just 16 years old when she left school and began working as a casual farmhand. “School really wasn’t for me. I used to spend all my school holidays working on our family farm and took any work I could find. I also had a huge passion for horses and spent a lot of time riding.” Her passion for farming quickly turned into a career when she joined Pāmu in 2009. By 2011, Anita was working full-time as a Shepherd General.

But life threw Anita a curveball later that year when she was involved in a serious quad bike accident, which left her paralysed from the waist down. “It was a tough time. I had to learn a lot about my new body and adjust to life in a wheelchair. I had to relearn how to do even the smallest things that most people take for granted.” Despite the challenges, Anita remained determined to return to the job she loved.

“It was easy enough for me to figure out how to drive my electronic wheelchair around the farm and add hand controls to the side-by-side,” she explains. “But retraining my dogs so that they could muster while I sat in the side-by-side instead of walking with them in the paddocks was a really hard thing to learn. The first time I tried, I ended up sitting at the bottom of a gully, crying my eyes out.” But Anita’s determination and passion pushed her forward, and she soon found a new way to do what she loves.

Anita was able to continue her work on the farm, slowly increasing her hours and responsibilities. In June 2022, Anita’s hard work and dedication paid off when she was promoted to Stock Manager. In this role, Anita is a vital link between the manager and the rest of the team, ensuring everyone knows what they need to do. “I love teaching young people about farming and watching them succeed, all while working on such a stunning farm,” Anita says. She adds, “I just try my best to make sure everyone is involved and happy in their workplace.”

Life on the station has settled into a comfortable rhythm for Anita, who loves the rural lifestyle and the freedom of working alongside her loyal team of dogs. The Pāmu value of “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” resonates deeply with Anita, and her passion for helping others is clear in everything she does. She loves working with her team, supporting them, and being involved in every aspect of the farm’s operations. Every day on the farm brings new challenges, but Anita continues to prove that a wheelchair is no obstacle to working in agriculture.

Many people are surprised when they find out what Anita does. She takes it in stride. “Sometimes when I tell people that I’m a musterer—the look on their faces! I have a lot of fun with that.” Anita’s work has opened up people’s eyes, showing them that her disability doesn’t limit her abilities or her passion for the job.

Anita’s enthusiasm for farming extends beyond her day-to-day responsibilities. She has big dreams and is determined to achieve them. “In five years, I see myself managing a farm for Pāmu—that’s what I’m working towards,” she says with conviction. Given her resilience, work ethic, and passion, it’s easy to see Anita achieving her goals.

Through all the challenges she has faced, Anita’s love for farming and dedication to her role has remained steadfast. She continues to prove that with determination, passion, and the right support, anything is possible. Whether she’s shifting stock, planning rotations, or mentoring the next generation of farmers, Anita is always pushing forward—chasing her dream.