Being the first ever full time hire at the Grassroots Gazette has truly been a life-changing experience for me. I have been around since the very early days of this small business and to watch it grow so significantly and be a part of a journey that is changing the future of the equine industry and community, gives me such joy and passion. 

When Shane came to me about wanting me as the content creator of Grassroots, I was currently on my journey of rediscovering myself. You know that part of your twenties where you’re like ‘What the hell am I doing?’. I thought to myself, “What do I have to lose?”. I was jobless and struggling to know what step to take next and wanted to be independent. And Shane, handed me the tools to build myself up in return for my fabulous editing skills.

I have always loved working with everyone at the Grassroots Gazette. We all share the same mentality, values and we all get on so well together. I’ll never forget the day I first spoke to Shane when I was Rising Star of Edition 8. The passion and conviction in his voice was infectious. It was a moment of clarity, a sense that this was the mission I wanted to be a part of.

So, I asked to become a writer. After writing a few articles, life working full time was making it hard for me to continue so I wasn’t able to put in all my effort. 

Until February 2023, I moved back home and the first thing I wanted to do was chat to the Grassroots gang and they all made me feel so heard and seen when I had told them about my struggles over the past few months. Fast forward to a couple months later and I was representing Grassroots at various shows with my trusty Canon camera.

It was at this moment that I realised, I would love to do this as a career. Putting my passion for horses and cameras together just felt right, and I was good at it too. There literally wasn’t a moment where I didn’t have a smile on my face. That’s what mattered most to me. 

Now as I sit here writing this article with my DaVinci Resolve editing software open in the background alongside many other tabs and programs. I could not be happier. It’s a profound responsibility being the first ever hire, and one that I embrace wholeheartedly. This job definitely isn’t for the faint of heart and it is going to take a lot of hard work and mindset coaching from Shane however, I would not have it any other way.

I am so excited to embark on this new adventure being a part of the Grassroots Gazette Family and show the world what I’m made of. 

As Shane would say… “Let’s Go F*** S*** Up!”