18 May 2009

Wairarapa tourism venture wins inaugural award

6:17 am on 18 May 2009

A Wairarapa tourism venture, the Tora Coastal Walk, has won the inaugural Enterprising Rural Woman Award.

The venture is run by Jenny Bargh and Kiri and Kath Elworthy.

Rural Women New Zealand, which organises the award, says it established the competition to highlight the innovative ways women are contributing to the rural economy.

The organisation's president, Margaret Chapman, says the passion shown by the women for their business, its economic success and their contribution to the rural community were the deciding factors in the win.

Second place-winner was Jan Bolton of Kaingaroa Roading Contractors in Murupara.

Third place went to Beverley Forrester from North Canterbury, who runs "Blackhills", a sheep farming and designer wool operation.