Sarah AlBalushi
WHEN it comes to getting her hands dirty, Sarah AlBalushi is no chicken.
The 17yearold budding veterinarian, astronomer and activist is willing to do what it takes to achieve her goals.
She has a deep love for horses and has been involved in riding throughout her life.
She got her first pony when she was 11, but she started with the Dunedin Riding Centre last year.
There she spends time feeding the animals, participating in natural horsemanship and helping with holiday classes.
She is very fascinated by horses.
That passion extends to all animals and is why she plans to become a veterinarian.
She thinks people often underestimate animals and how unique and strong their personalities could be.
Her family has seven rabbits, seven chickens, four rescue cats, a fish and a dog.
She even got a head start on her future career, as this year she had to perform latenight emergency surgery on one of her chickens to save its life.
The procedure went well and the chicken is happy and healthy, although it seems to hold a grudge against her.
Her other passion is for astronomy and she is a member of the Dunedin Astronomical Society committee.
There she helps out during meeting and open nights, as well as indulges in her interest for astrophotography.
Her passions drove her interests in climate change and public speaking.
She is a big advocate for climate change and spent almost a year working with a group on a public exhibition for the Otago Museum.
The project explored the inequalities of climate change and how different people were affected by it.
Much of her time is spent exploring her interest in the natural world and climate change is an issue close to her heart.
Last year she was selected as a cowinner for the Kavanagh College Farry Cup for public speaking.
She compares the feeling she gets from being on stage addressing an audience to that of an adrenaline junky.
‘‘It’s like bungy jumping for me.’’
Her love for nature and space also gives purpose to her studies and encourages her to do well.
That determination led her to winning a Zonta Women in Science award for the top female in science and math.
Achievements: Zonta woman in science prize (2021); Farry Cup joint winner (2021); Dunedin Riding Centre volunteer (20212022); deputy head girl (2022); Dunedin Astronomical Society committee member (20212022); University of Otago young woman in leadership programme (2021); first in class physics, biology, chemistry (2021); Level 1 and 2 excellence (2020, 2021). Role model: Television veterinarian Noel Fitzpatrick. Hopes for the future: To study veterinary science and continue horse riding.