At this year’s 2026 Australian Cotton Grower of the Year Field Day, attendees will hear from two guest speakers whose combined experiences span professional sport, elite military service, crisis leadership, and family life.

Tim Curtis and Ian Prior from Mettle Global will present ‘A Trio of Stories – Resilience Lessons for Farmers from the Field, the Frontline and the Family’.

Their session will draw on their lived experiences in professional sport and military service, but it will be firmly grounded in the realities of farming and agriculture where conditions shift quickly, people depend on strong leadership and resilience is essential.

From the sporting field, Ian Prior draws on a 14year professional rugby career and more than 200 first class matches. His most notable achievements include winning a Super Rugby title with the Queensland Reds, defeating the British and Irish Lions with the ACT Brumbies, and captaining the Western Force as they re-entered the international Super Rugby competition. At the international level, Ian represented the Junior Wallabies at the Junior Rugby World Cup in Argentina, as well as his heritage nation Zimbabwe which won the 2024 Africa Cup in Uganda.

Ian’s experience navigating pressure, injury, performance slumps and leadership responsibility on the field translates to the paddock, where seasons change, conditions turn quickly and leadership under pressure is part of everyday life.

For cotton growers, Ian’s insights on team culture, sustaining performance through adversity and maintaining standards when the odds are against you, can be applied directly to their farm businesses to strengthen team cohesion and stay grounded through challenging seasons.

From the frontline, Tim Curtis brings lessons forged during his service with the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) and in subsequent crisis-leadership roles, including as Australia’s first principal adviser to the Government in Sierra Leone, a lead planner of the Afghan Parliamentary Elections for the United Nations in Afghanistan, and managing director for a group of companies based in Dubai.

In complex, high-risk environments – from conflict zones to counter-terrorism capability development – resilience is not motivational; it is an operational requirement.

Tim will unpack the principles that keep teams functioning under extreme pressure: mindset, clarity of purpose, strong support networks, disciplined routines and the ability to adapt quickly when circumstances shift beyond your control.

Together, Tim and Ian will translate their experiences into practical, relatable strategies for growers, acknowledging the unique pressures agriculture brings - climate variability, generational responsibility, isolation, market forces and the deep sense of stewardship over land and legacy.

The third element of their session turns to the heart of every farming community – the family.

Drawing on Tim’s research for his book Building Resilient Kids, they will explore how resilience can be intentionally built in young people growing up on farms - from the “toddler farmer wannabes” already riding in utes to teenagers watching how their parents adapt, lead and respond under pressure.

Tim and Ian will discuss practical ways parents can strengthen adaptability, confidence, responsibility and emotional strength in young people growing up in agricultural communities, ensuring resilience becomes intergenerational rather than reactive. They believe the key is to let them fail.

Ultimately, this session will provide practical lessons for farmers navigating uncertainty while leading teams and raising the next generation.

The Australian Cotton Grower of the Year Field Day will be held at “Gowrie”, 1226 Wilmott’s Road, Spring Ridge on Wednesday 18 March. Attendee numbers are capped, register now to secure your free ticket.