![With my pride and joy, Saxon, and my other pride and joy, a cracking edition of The Land. With my pride and joy, Saxon, and my other pride and joy, a cracking edition of The Land.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/213266301/e4558c85-4db1-490c-921c-5a7f5f46e142.png/r0_0_1920_1079_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It has been my motto for as long as I can remember: "Go hard or go home".
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This year, I really feel I have given 110 per cent to my job - to the detriment of all other aspects of my life, no doubt - but I've also never felt so satisfied professionally.
I knew when I accepted the role it would be a high workload, but I definitely hadn't envisioned weeks of proof-reading stories into the wee hours during peak stud sales season, while I forced down McFlurries, bleary eyed, in a deserted office.
The livestock section of The Land peaks at around 40 pages during the height of spring, the equivalent volume of pages of a large country town newspaper by itself.
It's my job to decide which sale report runs where and to have as few mistakes as humanly possible, but it also involves finding stories relevant to the broader industry and providing guidance to journalists about their articles and the direction they could take.
I started on May 1 after applying for the job on a whim.
I'd been working as a leading hand pen rider at a cattle feedlot and doing some freelance work for equestrian publications.
My friend in Victoria asked in passing if I'd consider going back to a career in media, since her newspaper couldn't source experienced journalists and had resorted to hiring graduates.
I had no desire to go back to Vic - I'd lasted just eight months living in the dismal south and was not prepared to do it again - but it did prompt me to look online and see what else was going.
The advertisement for The Land's livestock editor sounded great and although I was sure I wasn't qualified, I figured it wouldn't hurt to apply as it might lead to some freelance opportunities.
But instead I was offered the job, and I very nearly turned it down.
It absolutely wasn't in my plan to move again and I was still regrouping financially and emotionally after a dire 2022, which was without doubt the worst year of my life.
I'd had a long-term relationship end in painful circumstances, the engine in my Isuzu D-Max blew up and insurance refused to pay me out - and they weren't even the worst parts.
But after some stern words from a friend I took the job and three weeks later I was carting my horses to Orange and scrambling to find somewhere to live.
When it snowed on my first weekend I thought I'd made a grave mistake, but thankfully I settled into town and the job and I'm glad this is where I've ended up.
![Millah Murrah's sale. Pictured is Paul Dooley, Annie Pumpa, Andrew Bickford, Trent Walker, with (front) Fletch Kelly, Ross Thompson, Will Couch, and Rob Swinton. Millah Murrah's sale. Pictured is Paul Dooley, Annie Pumpa, Andrew Bickford, Trent Walker, with (front) Fletch Kelly, Ross Thompson, Will Couch, and Rob Swinton.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/213266301/59386a96-790b-4ebf-bc81-a108ea0c2b8d.jpeg/r0_310_3872_2487_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While I have a background in media I don't pretend to have an in-depth knowledge of agriculture.
This year has been a massive learning curve but I'm lucky to work alongside an editor whose attention to detail is unparalleled.
Even so, the past few months has been a bit of a baptism of fire.
The stud stock season is manic and I feel a tremendous responsibility to make the section as strong as possible.
The sale results have also been a mixed bag.
There have been some astronomical highs with records set, but there have also been sales where prices have fallen short.
We report results at the fall of the hammer, which is fine when things are going well but it can be tough when the result isn't what was hoped.
No journalist enjoys reporting on disappointing outcomes but we all do our best.
In July we launched Getting the Upper Land, a video with a weekly wrap of the top stories.
This has been another new experience and it has been good fun to go on camera - although I don't think I'll be offered a TV presenter role anytime soon.
In September I attended Millah Murrah's spring bull sale near Bathurst, which started with gusto and topped at $200,000.
The atmosphere at the top end of the stud stock market is electric and it's nice to now recognise some familiar faces and feel like less of an outsider at these events.
I've also been lucky to travel to some fantastic locations and meet some wonderful people.
The Maher family of Mt Hope Station, Mt Hope, definitely stand out, and I also had some great farm visits in Pooncarie and Merriwa in the past couple of months.
I was also proud to put together a story on Cassilis residents' concerns about the consultation process for proposed renewable energy projects.
I know I'm not alone in feeling the pressure to voice people's feelings in articles like this, but I tried to be as thorough as possible and I was happy with the final story.
I also received some unexpected but positive feedback on an opinion piece I wrote about the pressure I feel when people ask me why I don't have a husband.
It was written to run in the Central Western Daily, also owned by Australian Community Media, but ended up being sent out in the company's national newsletter with a circulation of 16,000.
Had I known it would have that sort of reach I wouldn't have made it so personal but perhaps that's why it was well received.
This year has also not been without its setbacks and I did struggle after a falling out with someone I once cared for.
But life goes on, and I try hard to focus on the positives and put my energy into managing things within my control.
![The Maher family of Mt Hope Station, Mt Hope. Pictured is Tully, 4, Katie, Stevie, 9, and Sarah Maher. The Maher family of Mt Hope Station, Mt Hope. Pictured is Tully, 4, Katie, Stevie, 9, and Sarah Maher.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/213266301/2551d87e-e0a3-499b-9ad3-ac135adc108c.jpeg/r0_413_3872_2590_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Next year I hope to build on everything I've learned and keep striving to produce the best section I can.
I've thought on more than one occasion that I really do have the best job in the world and I don't ever want to lose that passion for what I do.
I also have some fantastic colleagues - some of whom I'm now proud to call my friends - whose help, and jokes, have been instrumental in keeping things light.
Those closest to me know I'm something of a rolling stone and living in Orange marks my eleventh city and fifteenth address.
But this is one of the first times I've hit six months in an area and not been desperate to move on.
Maybe I've finally found my place.