Ravensdown are pleased to announce this year’s winner of the Ngāi Tahu Farming Ravensdown scholarship, Bayley Coster.

The scholarship offers a student of Ngāi Tahu descent $5,000 towards tuition fees, an internship opportunity with Ngāi Tahu Farming and mentoring and cultural integration to strengthen Ngāi Tahutanga.

Currently in her final year at Massey University, Bayley is soon to complete a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology specialising in production animals. Following her studies, she hopes to combine her degree and the knowledge learnt through the scholarship’s various opportunities to become a ‘large animal veterinary technologist’.

Bayley said since she won the scholarship, she has been thrilled with the range of opportunities offered that allow her to pursue her career goals and enter the agricultural industry.

“I always knew I wanted to work with animals, especially given my upbringing on a sheep and beef farm in Tauranga,” she says.

There is so much more for me to learn within agriculture, making the two-month placement with Ngāi Tahu Farming over summer very exciting. I want to make a difference in my career, and through this scholarship, I know I’ll be given the tools to go about making that change for the proper care and treatment of large farm animals.

The Ngāi Tahu Farming Ravensdown Scholarship was established in 2018 for students undertaking undergraduate study in the area of agriculture or horticulture.

It aims to provide the next generation of New Zealand agricultural leaders with early entry into the agribusiness industry to further develop their expertise for positive change.

The first winner of the Ngāi Tahu Farming Ravensdown Scholarship was Lincoln University student Catherine Parata (2018), who was studying a Bachelor of Agriculture.