Being referred to as ‘the triage’ when introduced to new colleagues might not go down well with some people. However, Annabel Busby PGG Wrightson Wool Administrator in Napier, chooses to take it as praise.

“To me it means ‘Go to Annabel first, she can fix anything, and if she can’t fix it, then she knows who can,’ which is basically a compliment,” she says.

Annabel has been at PGG Wrightson for just over three years, prior to which she spent nine years as a dental and orthodontic assistant. With a farming background, she was drawn towards the ag sector, and when the job came up, she jumped at it.

“I was a kid playing around in the shearing shed, though I was the one getting into the press and getting under the shearers’ feet, with them telling me to get out. I wasn’t really helping. Going further back though, before she was married, Mum was a classer for Dalgetys: she used to work in same building I work in now.

“I’m a really big knitter so right into wool, which was part of the appeal when this job came up. Now I’m a huge advocate for our forgotten fibre.

As well as her day job Annabel spent a good proportion of the last few years promoting the industry.

“In the first lockdown in 2020 I reached out to the Campaign for Wool, and offered to revamp their social media. It hadn’t been operating since 2016, so I ended up doing that in addition to my normal job.

“Rather than working directly with wool, my job is in administration, though growing up on a farm, I come at it from that perspective, and always approach issues with a farmer’s mentality,” she says.

While she doesn’t normally handle wool physically, Annabel is on a wool course, so hoping to become more hands-on in future.

“My aim is to learn more about the fibre, including how to class and value wool.”

Growing up just out of Gisborne, Annabel’s parents own Makorori Station.

“Part of it is on the beach. When he was out mustering my brother would spend more time watching the waves than the sheep: the sea has always tempted him. We have a good surf beach right on the edge of the property, and he has a side business as a surf coach.

“When our parents are ready to stop farming, the plan is he will take over the farm. I’ve told him though, if he would rather stick with surfing, I’ll be ready to step in,” she says.

Annabel’s main interest outside work is her dogs: two red border collies. Through them she has become heavily involved with the local Napier Dog Training Club.

“Initially I went to do agility training with my first dog, Sky. We went along, I joined the club, and was sucked in. Now I’m the secretary, an instructor and train my own dogs in agility, obedience, Rally O, which is a sport for dogs and people, and the Canine Good Citizen programme, plus I’m starting to introduce my younger dog, Secret, to stock work.”

Having trained plenty of dogs and owners Annabel realises their relationship can be more complicated than it appears.

“So many times I’ve said to an owner ‘Do you realise, your dog has trained you?’ I love being able to help people with their dogs and to see them learn and grow together.”