The Country 03/06/26: Mia Ryan talks to Jamie Mackay

A rural dating app is launching in New Zealand this week, making it a little easier for people in rural and regional communities to meet someone new. Howdy, created by 24-year-old NSW-based farmer and university student Mia Ryan, has already grown to more than 30,000 users since launching in Australia in March 2024. The platform is now opening to New Zealanders for the first time, in association with NZ Young Farmers.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So you're finding it difficult to meet people in rural
and New Zealand. While there's a new dating app out
called Howdy and it's launching in New Zealand. They're partnered
with New Zealand Young Farmers. It's going to be all
on at Field Days next week. To tell us more
about it, A twenty four year old farmer and university
student and Miya Ryan Mia. How did you come about

(00:22):
the app Howdy? Was this for personal use for you?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Who was it? It's surprising how many people ask me
that exact question, So I guess it was. It was
really for personal use to start with, because I'm a
young person living in a rural area. And yeah, I
found it really tough to meet new people. And I
guess dating is hard for everyone in this day and age,

(00:48):
but as you start to get into more remote areas, yeah,
it gets a little bit tricky. So I thought it
would be a pretty easy process just to start a
rural dating app, and I didn't quite realize that. Yeah,
it's a big deal.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
How does your rural dating app how doy differentiate itself
from other dating apps that are out there because there
are a few of them.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, there definitely are. And I guess the biggest thing
is that Howdy is genuinely run by me and it
has been created specifically for people living in rural areas.
So other dating apps are sort of multinational companies and
they are in it to make a profit. And the

(01:31):
psychology behind it is very similar to gambling, so it's
all about having these huge dopening hits and then you
have these lows, so it ends up making you feel
a lot worse about yourself, Whereas I wanted to make
Howdy in such a way that it makes you feel
more connected and it makes you feel better. So rather

(01:51):
than having like the normal swiping function where you can
sit on your lunch break and just you know, quickly
swipe through yes and no to people and they stop
being people. They become just a profile picture. I've tried
to slow that whole process down, and I've made it
so you sort of take your time and you actually
read about the person, and you know, you start to

(02:15):
look at them as actual people and not just not
just a photo on your screen. And I think the
biggest thing as well is that I have been able
to completely abolish the radius settings, so if you can
choose to meet someone nice and close to home, but
you also have the option to meet someone across all
of New Zealand, and if you so choose, you can

(02:37):
meet someone across all of Australia as well.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
So how do you limit this just to rural people?
So it really.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Isn't limited just to rural so our I mean three
quarters of our members are completely rural or regional. But
I've also opened it up that you can go on
the app and one of the first questions it asks
is are you rural or would you like to meet someone?
And that is because I'm also aware that there's a
lot of people that are sort of yearning for that

(03:05):
lifestyle and that sort of I don't know, it's quite wholesome,
and as you know, country people are just different. So
I didn't want to restrict it and not include the
people that are yearning to.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Have that I see on your press release and I'm
just quoting from it here. It opens up a much
wider pool than the local rugby club. Some of us
back in the day mea did our finest work at
the local rugby club. We're taking cheek a wee bit there,
But I know what you're saying, but so so you're
opening up a wider gene. Paul, to use a clumsy terminology,
talk to me about the partnership with New Zealand Young Farmers,

(03:40):
and I know you're going to be at field Days
next week. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
I am so excited to be partnered with New Zealand
Young Farmers. They have just been so helpful throughout this
whole process, and I just feel like we are so
aligned in what we're trying to do. You know, we're
just trying to connect our young farmers and I mean,
how it is not just for young people, but it
is a really big portion for us. And I just

(04:07):
think that it's a really fun way that we can
do it, and we can sort of partner on all
different things. And I guess Phil Days is our first
opportunity to do that. I'm going to fly over there
and we're just going to have a little bit of
fun and see what we can achieve.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
Also from your press release, and I found this a
rather telling piece of commentary. Really, how do is not
just about romance. It's about combating loneliness when you live
out in the middle of nowhere, and that is a
real issue.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
It's massive, It is really massive. So people living in
rural areas are twice as likely to struggle with their
mental health. And I don't know. I just think that
it's great if you can meet the love of your
life on Howdy. I am all about that, obviously, but
for me, it's the other interactions that actually matter more.

(04:58):
So if you're sitting in the tractor day and you
just get a message from a friend, that can be
the difference between a good day and a bad day.
So everyone, I think in the whole dating game are
just trying to always weed everyone out and just trying
to find the one, and they sort of forget that
along the way you get to meet some really incredible people.

(05:19):
So the biggest thing about Howdy is that you're just
creating a bit of a community. And yeah, you might
not end up with that person, but they've been a
great person to get to know.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Well, you've got to kiss a few frogs, haven't you
to meet your prince? They just to finish on to
mark your new Zealand launch. Anyone who signs up during JOm,
we'll get their first thirty days free. Howdy is available
on Apple and Google app stores, which is wonderful just
about you. You are a farmer. You're also a university student,
but you live in the middle of nowhere.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yes, yeah, well middle of nowhere or middle of everywhere.
It depends on how you want to look at that.
But yes, yeah, I can absolutely relate to everyone using howdy,
because yeah it's tricky.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
What are you starting at university?

Speaker 2 (06:10):
I am doing a double degree in agriculture and international business.

Speaker 1 (06:15):
Well you might be a good catch at field Days
for some of those young farmers.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Miya. Well, look, you never know, you never know. I
do love a kiwee.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
I think we'll leave it at that. Hey, look, thank
you very much for your time, looking forward to meeting
you at field Days. Howdy is the new rural dating app,
and as I said, you sign up in June, you
get your first thirty days free. Enjoy your trip over
safe travels to New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Appreciate it. Thank you.