Caitlyn Mcphee is a regular on the Charters Towers saleyard catwalk.
Week in, week out, she dons her Nutrien Ag Solutions shirt and hits the yards to issue sale results to buyers on the ground amongst other jobs.
However, when she's not dressed in green, Caitlyn is tearing up the respective rodeo arena floor.
For this former Ballarat local, the sport runs deep in her blood as the daughter of Robert Mcphee and Teresa Jones.
"I grew up in a rodeo and horse dominated family," Caitlyn said.
"My dad and uncle were very successful in the rodeo world; they own the bull Chainsaw."
Caitlyn has since called Charters Towers home for the last four years after a broken bone changed the trajectory of her life in Victoria.
"I broke my leg and had seven months of not doing anything," she said.
"I needed money and my brother-in-law ran a contract mustering team in the Kimberley's.
"I went out for a stint and then rodeoed my way across to here to stay with family to skip the winter in Victoria and I just never left."
Caitlyn initially began working as stock handler at the saleyards before transitioning over to the local Nutrien Ag Solutions branch.
"I got to a point where I said I either need to go home and start a career or find a career here," she said.
"My parents run a breaking and pre-training equine business down in Ballarat.
"My stepdad Bruce Marsh was pretty keen to get me to take over and break in racehorses, which I mean I can do, but I don't love it.
"I really love this and I love the lifestyle of this town."
Caitlyn has ticked over three years with the local agency as a livestock and salesperson gaining a few of her own clients and assisting colleagues Brent Williams and Tony Bowen.
"For me personally, I find it easy to talk to people and I like meeting new people," she said.
"I have worked in male dominated industries for most of my life, so I guess I knew how to handle it.
"I knew to be confident in the fact that I know what I'm doing, I'm sure of myself and if I didn't know, I wasn't too proud to go and ask for help."
As more women begin to climb the ranks in the agriculture industry, Caitlyn said she was fortunate to work with a group of phenomenal male colleagues.
"Again being around male dominated industries for most of my life, I know that there are jobs that I will struggle with that men can do," she said.
"I'm not afraid to admit it. Never once have I had a response where it's been 'oh well you want to do this job, you have too'.
"It might be something as simple as lifting a set of scales at the office that's too heavy.
"I'm really lucky that the boys are exceptional to work with."
Outside of work, Caitlyn spends time working her horses and regularly competing in barrel racing and breakaway roping events.
The experienced rider also spent time in Texas under the guidance of world champion barrel racer Molly Powell.
Caitlyn said her time was now focused on training her own team of horses and running the Charters Towers Cowgirls Association.
"They're all very young horses," she said.
"I am just working on training and seasoning them to start competing in some rodeos.
"I am pretty busy outside of work with horses and competing, so for me the opportunity to grow within the Nutrien business, but still be able to have a life outside of it, is really important to me."
Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
