Our latest interviewee in the Countryside Conversations Blog Series is founder of The Country Girls UK, full-time farmer, and advocate for women in agriculture and field sports - Tania Coxon.
We first got to know Tania back in 2021 through the Country Girls, of which we are proud trade member, and last month our founder Becs had the pleasure of meeting Tania in person at one of the CGUK fly fishing days – alongside G&G champion Marina Gibson.
Tania grew up on her family's arable farm in the North East of England, where farming and field sports were part of everyday life. Now the fifth generation on the farm, she has built a remarkable career that spans both agriculture and a thriving community of women in field sports.
In this interview, Tania tells us more about her journey, her passion for farming and field sports, the organic growth of The Country Girls UK, and what she hopes the future holds.
For those who might not know you, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in farming and field sports?
I'm Tania Coxon, founder of The Country Girls UK and a full-time farmer on my family's arable farm in the North East of England. Agriculture is very much in my blood - I'm the fifth generation on the farm. Farming is a huge part of my life and something I'm incredibly proud to be a part of.
No two days on the farm ever look the same, from drilling and harvesting to the operations and planning side of things, there is always something to keep you busy!
Alongside farming, field sports have always been a huge part of my life too. I grew up shooting from a young age and it is something I have fallen in love with as I have got older. More recently I've also discovered a real passion for fly fishing - something I've completely fallen for and may be just a little bit addicted to!
How do you feel as a female farmer in what is considered a male dominated industry?
Agriculture and field sports are still predominantly male dominated industries, but that's never been something I've let hold me back - if anything, it's only made me more determined to carve out my own space and show that women belong here just as much as anyone else.
What's really exciting is the shift we're starting to see. More and more women are coming into these industries, speaking up, building businesses and communities, and championing one another along the way. That sense of support and solidarity is something really special.
Confidence plays such a huge part in that. Once you find it, you realise you don't need to fit a certain mould - you can do things your own way and on your own terms. We need more women paving their own paths and making a mark.
Have you always been interested in field sports? Is this something that started at an early age?
Field sports have always been a part of my life - I was brought up doing it so it never felt like something separate or something I had to consciously seek out. It was just normal life; pigeon shooting on the farm as part of pest control, then getting stuck into the game season, whether that was beating or picking up with my black Labrador, Hector.
That said, I think your relationship with field sports naturally evolves as you get older. You begin to appreciate it on a different level - not just as something you do, but understanding the reasons behind it. The conservation side, the community, the responsibility that comes with it. It becomes about much more than the sport itself.
Tell us about Country Girls – what is it, where did the idea come from and who else is involved?
The Country Girls UK came about in a really organic way. I was sharing snippets of my life on Instagram - bits of farming, shooting, everyday countryside life - and I started receiving lots of messages from women asking how they could get involved, or saying they didn't feel like they had anyone to go with.
So I set up a WhatsApp group to connect a few of them, and it simply grew from there. We put on our first couple of events, which sold out straight away, and it became clear very quickly that there was a real demand for a space like this.
It has since grown into a full membership community with events taking place all over the UK, from shooting days and fishing trips to socials and educational sessions. We have a brilliant team around us including ambassadors, guides, instructors and the brands we work with - but at its heart, it's the community of women that makes it what it is. It's about creating a space where people feel welcome, supported and confident to try something new, surrounded by like-minded people who just get it.
What would be your advice for someone wanting to give field sports a go?
Just start! Don't overthink it, and don't wait until you feel ready - that moment rarely comes. Everyone starts somewhere, and no one expects you to walk in knowing everything.
Visit a local shooting ground and book a lesson or come along to one of our tuition days where everything is taken care of and all equipment is provided. That's exactly why we run the days we do - so that women can turn up on their own, with no experience, and feel completely at ease. More often than not, they leave having made friends for life.
Don't be afraid to ask questions either. The more you learn, the more your confidence grows, and the more you'll get out of it. It's such a rewarding world to be part of - sometimes all it takes is that first step.
And lastly what does the future look like for the Country Girls – your hopes, goals and aspirations?
The future for The Country Girls UK feels really exciting. We're growing quickly and there's so much potential to build on what we've already created. We've recently welcomed a new Marketing Manager, Jemma, to the team and we can't wait to see the impact she'll have.
We want to continue expanding our events programme, offering more variety and more opportunities for women at every level - whether they're complete beginners or already experienced and looking to develop further.
There's also a big focus on education and storytelling. We have a brand new podcast launching very soon with some incredible guests, as well as fresh content in the pipeline and some exciting partnerships with brands who truly align with what we're about.
One of the highlights of this year has been launching our first ever international event in the Dolomites, which sold out - something we're incredibly proud of and hope to build on with more international experiences in the future.
But at the heart of it all, the goal remains the same - to keep building a community that feels inclusive, supportive and genuinely empowering, where more and more women feel inspired and confident to get involved and be a part of it.
