Cathy proud to support Horsham farmers, and community

Cathy Tucker enjoys all aspects of her local community, and region.

It’s a terrific feeling heading to work each morning and genuinely looking forward to the day ahead, and for Horsham Rabobank Rural Manager Cathy Tucker, there’s no better role than supporting the region’s farmers.

“Having the opportunity to work closely with some of the Wimmera’s most exciting and progressive producers is such a joy, and I feel so aligned with my clients,” she smiles. “What excites them, excites me.”

“Seeing clients passionate about their land, and to be on the ground with them while they show me their business is always a thrill, and allows me the opportunity to be a valued part of their business.”

Born-and-bred in the Horsham/Haven area, this spirited mother of two has an extensive banking background having worked in retail and Agri banking for almost ten years.

She also benefits from conveyancing experience, and spent seven years in local legal firms.

Cathy recently joined the Rabobank team, and has well and truly hit the ground running – describing the professional and personal gains as “instantaneous”. 

“I love being able to work locally in Horsham. Previously I supported the Hamilton and South Victoria areas – yet the pull of broadscale cropping is strong, in all my years working in agriculture I seem to find myself coming back to cropping.”

“Big paddocks, big machinery, big scale farming – it’s a sector that makes me particularly happy, and I’m looking forward to helping support clients across the region continue their growth stories.”
 

Cathy is passionate about agriculture, and helping local clients succeed.

Almost six months into the role and Cathy smiles that the alignment of Rabobank’s culture and values with her own was a reassuring sigh of relief.

“I love being out on farm and getting my hands dirty – I want to be on the ground with clients, I want them to show me their passion and share with me their vision, and I feel so grateful that this is certainly the approach favoured by everyone at Rabobank.”

As a bank dedicated to agricultural clients, she also welcomes the specialised focus her role affords.

“I’m acutely aware of how important it is to have a good handle on agriculture when dealing with these complex farm businesses, and appreciate in this role that I’m not being pulled between commercial, Agri, and retail clients like I have in previous organisations.”

“It is also very obvious that most people here at Rabobank have a background in ag, be it large or small, so everyone is realistic to the challenges in ag, and understand that our role is not only to support clients meet their aspirations in the good years, but to also support them through the tricky seasons, which is equally important – if not more.”
 

The Horsham team, at back; Natasha Palmer, Mark Jasper, Asha McFarlane, Maree Petering, and at front; Cathy Tucker and Samantha Smith. Leanne Lewis absent.

The support received within the wider Rabobank team has also been welcomed, and a noted point of difference.

“I could tell straight away how inclusive Rabobank is, I can pick up the phone to our State Manager Roger Matthews and he will always have time for me – everyone is so nice at every point of leadership.”

“I’m also incredibly impressed by the RaboResearch team and the amount of information I have access to daily, RaboResearch not only supports our clients with data and insights, internally it’s providing daily pricing and updates right to my fingertips.”

“There are so many considerations such as this that make my job so much easier, and ultimately enable managers to more efficiently dedicate time to the client, which is so refreshing.”

Contributing to a strong industry, and community

Cathy grew up on a hobby farm in the Haven region, and with her husband Hayden also a proud local, she’s thrilled to be raising their two children, eight-year-old daughter Amira, and three-year-old-son Kobe, in Horsham.

And the opportunity she now has to contribute to community thanks to Rabobank has already made an impact. 

“Before Christmas I took a Community Leave Day and helped at the local FoodBank, handing out hampers to the most vulnerable in our community.”

“It was a really heartening experience – chatting with some of the people who we were helping was nice, and it really felt like the work we were doing was making a difference.”
 

Cathy welcomes the opportunity to live and work in a community so close to her heart.

Cathy also believes Rabobank’s structure of a smaller portfolio of clients compared to her previous roles in other banks also affords more time to dedicate to both her clients, and community.

“There is definitely an emphasis on working proactively with clients, smaller portfolios that are ag specific ensure I can spend more time meeting the needs of our local farmers and working with them strategically to make their vision a reality.”

“Previously, when juggling a larger client base spread across sectors I felt like my only touchpoints with clients were reactive, so it’s nice to now be able to give my clients the attention they deserve.”

It also affords her more time to spend contributing to community and industry.

“I love that there is an expectation on us all to be contributing to community – personally this is something I’ve struggled with being a full-time working mother, and the fact that I can now participate in the community within my role is so refreshing.”

Fishing at Rocklands with the kids is a personal passion she’s hoping to enjoy more of in 2026 – as well as increasing her catch statistics, but she’ll leave the family’s other pastime, watching the sprint cars at Warrnambool, to her husband.

“Hayden hates fishing, and I’m not into sprint cars, so it works well!” 
 

Getting out and about with her family and enjoying the region.

Rabobank on the ground at Wimmera Field Days

In her new role Cathy is hoping to further connect with, and help support, local farming groups.

Since commencing at Rabobank she has enjoyed meeting clients and industry through knowledge-sharing forums, and is currently helping plan local community events being held in March.

Cathy, together with the wider Rabobank team, will also be on the ground at the Wimmera Machinery Field Days on March 3, 4 and 5.

“Industry initiatives and events such as these ultimately help strengthen local farm businesses, and contribute to the social fabric of our town, and I’m looking forward to once again being involved”.