When Tony Chamberlain steps onto the board at the Waimate Shears in October, he'll be completing a personal challenge. It will be his 50th consecutive year competing at his home event, shearing five sheep as quickly and as cleanly as he can.

A free bed, some “sheep stuff” and a scholarship brought Ryan Luckman to Waimate as a veterinary student. More than 20 years later, he’s still here.

These days, he’s focused on finding solutions to some pretty complex agricultural challenges.

On the other side of the Waitaki River, at Danseys Pass, Aimy Chin has been busy creating stunning artworks. But behind the increasingly bright colours is a much deeper story.

There’s a new wave of sewers, knitters and crafters emerging in Waimate and at the centre is a main street business that has become far more than just a shop.

A Young Farmers exchange competition more than 50 years ago took Lex Young halfway around the world and led to friendships that have lasted a lifetime.

Ahead of this year’s Aoraki Woman of the Year event, we caught up with Roselyn Fauth nee Cloake to talk about the work that led to her nomination, and how the win gave her space to stop, reflect, and ask a bigger question about whose stories get told - and whose don’t.

We’ve been chatting to new Waimate High School principal Andrew Jones about where he’s come from, why he’s here, and why South Canterbury is a great place to raise and educate kids.

Did you know that Waimate High School now sits at the top end of schools in the Aoraki region in several areas, including academic?