From the woolshed to the road, rep embraces new role

For Carley Pryce, wool has never been ‘just a job’. It’s been a thread running through her working life since she was a teenager, shaping her skills, her confidence, and her connection to rural New Zealand.

Now, after years of building experience across the agricultural sector, Pryce has taken the next step in her career, recently promoted into a new role as a wool rep for PGW, based in Hawke’s Bay.

It’s a role that suits her perfectly - part relationship-builder, part industry advocate, and part problem-solver, along with plenty of kilometres on the road in between. And while she may be new to the wool rep team, her journey through the wool industry has been years in the making.

Pryce was introduced to wool at 15 years old, taking on her very first job as a wool handler. While many young people her age were focused on sleeping in and social plans, she was still wiping the early morning sleep from her eyes while learning the rhythm and discipline of the shearing season. “It was just meant to be something I did in the holidays. Up early and into the sheds at 6 am, where I had to learn everything from scratch.”

But what started as a steep learning curve quickly became something she loved, and a holiday job turned into a lifelong interest. Carley grew up without the traditional farming background many assume is essential for a rural career. From the moment she stepped into a woolshed, she was hooked.

However, despite her drive to have a career in agriculture, she recalls facing doubt from others when she decided to leave school early after gaining her NCEA qualifications. At sixteen, she was selected for the pilot programme of Growing Future Farmers, which gave her the chance to deepen her practical farming knowledge while continuing her education.

As a shepherd in the Wairarapa, she completed agricultural NCEA papers alongside full-time farm work, and was asked to stay on the farm as part of the team. She then moved into agricultural retail, gaining experience with Farmlands and eventually relocating to Hawke’s Bay when Cyclone Gabrielle hit, helping wherever she was needed. From there, she progressed into a 2IC role at Napier Farmlands, managing staff, improving systems and operations, and further developing customer service skills.

Then came a new opportunity, joining the PGG Wrightson Wool team at the Napier Woolstore first as an inwards administrator, then as a wool rep. Now her days are largely spent out on the farms around Hawkes Bay, meeting growers, building relationships, and supporting clients with everything from wool clip preparation to marketing and logistics. And she is loving every minute of it.

“Farmers are the people I get along with the most. They’re down-to-earth and I just find it so easy to relate to them.” She is also passionate about wool’s place in a modern world. “Synthetics just simply don’t compare and it deserves far more notoriety for what it can achieve. It’s such a great natural fibre and extremely versatile. I wish more people knew that.”

Justin Coetzee, export account manager for Bloch & Behrens (PGW Wool’s export arm) and Pryce’s Napier based mentor, says her promotion is a win not just for the team, but for the future of the wool industry. “It’s fantastic to have a young person who is able to see the bigger picture and work within the team to work towards achieving those goals.”