Madison Barsdell

Madison’s whakapapa traces back to Tainui in the Waikato region, but she grew up in sunny Gisborne, where she still resides today. Her first experience with field work was in 2014 at Pioneer, which was a huge wake-up call at just 18 years old. After two years there, she spent some time in Christchurch before returning home and briefly working in kiwifruit at Under The Vines. When growth opportunities were limited, she moved on and soon joined Thompson’s Horticulture.

At Thompson’s, Madison quickly progressed through a wide range of roles, gaining extensive hands-on experience across all aspects of kiwifruit production. She was offered a full-time position and eventually stepped into a supervisor role, which she held for nearly five years. After stepping away from the industry for personal reasons, she briefly explored a role in mental health—another area she’s passionate about—but returned to horticulture after a challenging experience.

In 2023, Madison joined Apata just before the thinning season. She has loved every moment since, crediting her positive experience to the support of her manager Aimee and the incredible team around her. She’s now looking forward to seeing where the next five years will take her and has entered this competition to continue building her knowledge and understanding of the horticulture industry.

Outside of work, Madison enjoys the arts, particularly painting, drawing, and photography.