Chevon Horsford (Ngāpuhi) believes being part of the Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trust alumni means you are at the decision-making table for the next generation.

“We are in a great space and it’s timing that is key, either hop on the waka or miss it. I’m on that waka and I am enjoying it and I think there are times it might not be [enjoyable] but you have just got to ride the wave.”

The opportunities to be able to be, especially after this weekend it’s been the opportunity to get closer to those decision-making tables for the next generation. We are starting that ladder.

Chevon says whenua is important to her dairy farming family.

“For my own whānau, we enjoy the land. But we can have a lifestyle but also run a business at the same time. There are so many opportunities.”

The 30-year-old says family life and farming took a front seat but also new education was important to the success of their business.

“I went to Bay of Islands College. I didn’t study straight after school, I went and got married and had tamariki and started dairy farming. I have been dairy farming for 12 years, me and my husband and I’ve done some papers through a Primary ITO, some dairy farming papers. I will look at my degree at Massey University next year, an it’s a bachelor of Agri Commerce, majoring in economics.

Enrolling in the Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trust’s Hei Rā Te Whakaruruhau programme had been vital to helping her to expand her knowledge.

“it’s been the opportunity to get closer to those decision-making tables for the next generation. We are starting that ladder,” Chevon says.

“I feel like I need a tohu to explain to not only to our people, but to non-Māori that I know what I am talking about regarding the agriculture industry and just to put that tohu there, but my knowledge and whakaaro on paper.

“My aspirations are definitely in the agriculture industry and being that Māori consultant instead of being that pākehā consultant on our entities.”