74 | Agricultural contractor’s dream trainee Kelly Deeks RURAL SERVICES » Mabey Contracting Jessica Bills of Pahiatua agricultural contracting firm Mabey Contracting has been recongised for her exceptional driving by her employers throughout the season, and the industry has ultimately agreed, naming Jessica Rural Contractors New Zealand Trainee of the Year for 2023. “Throughout the year Jess has been logging all of her work and training, and all of our staff have been on board getting her upskilled and trained up,” says Mabey Contracting owner Andrew Mabey. “She’s quite exceptional.” Sporty, intelligent, with good hand-eye coordination, keen to learn and work hard, and getting on well with other people, Jess is the agricultural contractor’s dream trainee. She grew up on her parents’ farm and made a beeline for accountancy before a sporting injury prompted a change of direction. She had wanted to drive tractors since she was a youngster, kicking her dad out of the tractor whenever she came home from school. Starting at Mabey Contracting in October last year, Jessica is learning everything she possibly can, including raking, baling, mowing, wrapping, and stacking hay and silage, as well as servicing machines in the workshop. She says she loves every minute of her job and hopes to eventually manage a rural contracting operation. She is certainly on the right track. PROUD SUPPORTERS OF MABEY CONTRACTING Comprima Plus Baler Wrapper Combination make the best bales! Fortima Variable Comprima Variable Krones full range of balers utilise strong components to combat extreme conditions. They are compact, high capacity and all round machines suitable for all crops. Their features and efficiency make them leaders in the field. Tackle any job with ease with a Krone round baler. EASYCUT MOWERS The toughest cutterbar on the market. SafeCut & SmartCut systems. Front, rear or trailed options - with or without conditioner. Everyone knows VariPack Variable
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