So her journey into the livestock industry was her choice and she made the decision to pursue that vocation early on, as a teenager.
After high school in Gisborne she studied at the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre in the Wairarapa.
With her Taratahi training behind her, Emma started with PGG Wrightson in 2016 as a technical field representative.
She quickly gained experience and skill, developed her stock assessment eye and started as a livestock genetics representative with the company in 2018.
“While at Taratahi I became involved in the Future Beef Hoof and Hook competition, which used to be held during the National Beef Expo,” Emma said.
“This event involves training a steer to show during the competition, as well as stock judging and beef-focused education modules.
“This was where my passion for stud stock began.”
She sought out work experience on stud farms and continued to participate at Future Beef.
“I also got involved in the Angus Youth and Stock Judging competitions at A&P Shows, including the Poverty Bay A&P Spring Show.
“This was key to developing an eye for stock, and being able to justify your assessment — a skill I now use every day.”
That involvement led to representing New Zealand and travelling abroard, including two World Angus Forum Youth Competitions and multiple Australasian stock judging finals in Australia.
“The networking throughout that time has been invaluable in forming relationships in the role I have now,” the 30-year-old said.
Emma has very positive views on the future of the livestock industry.
“Even in my short time in it, changes are already apparent in the way we farm,” she said. “Consumer-driven expectations of our red meat producers are driving the development of systems and technology that weren’t around 10 years ago.
“Sustainability, efficiency and environment are at the forefront of innovation and innovate we must to continue to secure partnerships with our main exporters,” she said.
“We are so vulnerable to demand, weather and trends that our sustainability is reflective of how we navigate such challenges and future-proof for the next generation.”
She has been excited to follow the rising two-year-old bull sales through the Simmental and Hereford breeds in this district, and other breeds outside of Gisborne, since the sales started in May.
“Now I’m excited to see how the East Coast Angus studs will go.”
The region’s R2 Angus bull sales now start at Ratanui Angus near Wairoa next Thursday, and will gather real momentum Monday week when Orere Angus at Pehiri kick off Bull Week.
The Orere sale will be followed by Tangihau Angus at Rere at midday that day, followed by Kaharau Angus in Goodwin Road off Riverside Road late that afternoon, then Tawa Hills Angus from Motu, Whangara Angus and Turihaua Angus on the Tuesday.
Nuhaka’s Kenhardt Angus and Turiroa Angus near Wairoa complete the sales schedule on the Wednesday.
“Once again, our local studs are offering teams of bulls of a high standard,” Emma said, having cast a well-trained eye over the line-ups from the various studs during the Bull Walk back in May.
“Structural integrity is paramount, and is backed up by proven pedigrees and balanced data.
“Sales throughout the country have been mixed, perhaps as a result of an accumulation of factors — cow numbers, weather, interest rates and inflation.
“However, this region can be an anomaly, as we draw buyers from a wide geographical pool, and the quality of animal is guaranteed.
“We are hoping for another ripper week, but we are at the mercy of the bidders.”
Solid clearance rates, or the numbers sold at auction, at the sales for the other breeds in this district, augurs well for how Angus Bull Week will go here.
Emma will be right amongst it.
Not surprisingly her personal interests outside of her day job primarily involve livestock.
“I enjoy farming my own heritage breed sheep.
“The flock has somehow grown considerably in the last few years, which has been super rewarding in preserving the breed, and gaining an understanding of risk and reward in genetics.
“I show them throughout the North Island over the summer which is as much a social venture as a competing and promotional one.
“They are Shropshires, one of the original meat breeds to arrive on our shores.
“They have a small gene pool to draw from, and with only a handful of breeders in New Zealand, careful consideration is used when doing mating selections and culling.
“We’re trying to grow the numbers as a group, and my own flock took a bit of a dent due to the cyclone.
“They’ve taught me a lot of lessons in selection, perseverance and the challenges of breeding stock to always be progressing.”
Emma considers herself very lucky to work in the stud stock industry.
“I’m surrounded by passionate people every day and that really motivates you to do the best you can for them.
“You want them to succeed so you have to deliver to enable them to do that.”
The bull sales season draws the farming community together and Emma Pollitt will be someone many would-be buyers, stockmen and stockwomen generally, want to talk to.
Hers is a career on the rise in a highly specialised and critical field for the financial wellbeing of the country.
Here in Tairāwhiti it’s a field that is as solid a part of the backbone of this region’s economy as the backs of the beautiful bulls on sale, and Emma Pollitt fits right in.
