A FRESH FACE IN FARMING – COURTNEY WEST
Photo Amy Hamblett
Recognised for her leadership, technical skill, and rapid progression, 26-year-old Courtney West has been awarded the title of Northland Dairy Manager of the Year 2025.
Courtney manages Greg Partington and Nicola Murray’s 147-hectare, 350-cow Tomarata property, taking on the role after being named runner-up at last year’s awards and third in the 2023 Manawatū Dairy Trainee Awards. Along with the regional honour, she picked up five merit awards this year in livestock, feed, sustainability, leadership, and financial planning, highlighting the breadth of her abilities.
Her journey into dairying is both unconventional and inspiring. Raised in Wellington, Courtney lived an urban lifestyle and had no farming background. After completing a Diploma in Adventure Tourism Management, she spent several years in Queenstown’s adrenaline tourism scene – working in ziplining, jetboating, and skydiving – until the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic career shift. Seeking a new direction, she entered dairying in 2020, starting with calf rearing. Within four years, she had progressed from farm assistant to herd manager and now farm manager, determined to master each stage along the way.
To match her practical experience, Courtney has completed Primary Industry Training Organisation qualifications in milk harvesting, livestock husbandry, and pastoral production, building a strong technical foundation for her management role. Her connection to Northland and its farming community runs deep, crediting the support and encouragement of farm owners, the farming community, and her partner, Colin Beazley, with helping her thrive in the region.
Although at the national finals held in Tauranga this May Courtney did not place, she considers the experience invaluable. More than the competition, it was the chance to connect with peers that had the biggest impact. “Most of my close friends don’t work in farming, so spending time with like-minded people who share the same passion was one of the best parts of nationals,” she reflects. The exchange of ideas and experiences with regional winners from across the country reinforced her excitement about the future of dairying.
Beyond the farm gates, Courtney pursues a very different passion – pole dancing. She credits the strength and discipline gained from farm work with helping her succeed in the demanding art form. “Farming keeps me strong, and that strength really supports my training,” she says. For her, pole dancing is a creative outlet and a way to balance the intensity of farm life with personal expression and fun.
Courtney is also currently undertaking part-time online study toward a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University, reflecting her ambition to deepen her scientific and technical expertise.
For her, winning the Northland title is not an endpoint but a milestone. From an urban upbringing in Wellington, to adventure tourism, and now to award-winning farm leadership, her story is one of resilience and adaptability.
With her studies underway, a creative outlet in pole dancing, and a clear commitment to growth, Courtney West is not only Northland’s Dairy Manager of the Year – she is a rising leader whose journey is just getting started.
www.DairyIndustryAwards.co.nz | www.instagram.com/_CourtneyWest