FMG Sponsors of the FMG Young Rider Series
As a mutual, FMG is all about its clients. Rural manager Lizzie Vincent says she feels very lucky to work for a company she feels so strongly about. “As we are owned by our clients, our business structure is really about working with them to minimise loss in the first place, then work with them when things do go wrong. It really feels like we are on the clients’ side always.”
She has worked for the company for just over five years after joining their graduate programme after completing her study at Massey University. FMG have a strong team who are all passionate and proud of what they do. “I love working in an agriculture industry that has such a close relationship with our sport here in New Zealand.”
Lizzie spends a lot of her work time on the road, travelling to farms to chat with clients. “Farmers like to see me when it is raining, which is a definite advantage for managing my time with my horses,” she says. “There is a big crossover between farmers and horse riders. I see a number of my clients at shows and get to see them or their kids compete, which is nice. With FMG sponsoring the Young Rider Series, it is even better when one of their children win or place in a class. The showjumping community is really supportive of their sponsors and the recognition riders give us is great.”
FMG has its roots firmly planted in rural New Zealand. The company was started in 1905 by farmers for farmers, and today it is still 100% New Zealand-owned by its rural clients. Back in those early days, farmers didn’t have a lot of choice when it came to insurance cover. English-owned tariff companies ruled despite not really understanding the risks and challenges faced by rural New Zealanders, and they were expensive to boot.
To the fore came the Kiwi pioneering spirit and the first Farmers Mutual Associations were formed in Otago, Wellington, Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay. More followed and a new era was born. Since then it has continued to go from strength to strength and today employs more than 700 people across New Zealand.
While Lizzie is hugely career focussed, she is a very keen rider. While at university she had “awesome” horses in Vamped NZPH and Utah Jazz NZPH, who she bought from Warwick Hansen. “I had a great time on both of them in the age group series where they were reasonably successful. Near the end of their runs I also had a catch ride in the showing at HOY and won the Rising Star Riding Horse of the Year.”
Her goals have changed a bit these days, and she’s in the rebuild phase of her team with the goal of being competitive once again. She currently has Hawk Warrior, a seven-year-old East Coast station bred and two rising four-year-olds by her former stars Vamped NZPH and Utah Jazz NZPH, who are just starting under saddle. Her retired pony Bob the Builder who took her to Pony Club Champs for dressage, showjumping and eventing and even won a pony grand prix, is also home.
FMG has won accolades for its efforts, including in 2019 as Consumer NZ People’s Choice Award for car, house and contents insurance and the Canstar Most Satisfied Customers Award, among others.
For more information, head to www.fmg.co.nz
By Diana Dobson
8 April 2020