6 | Early recognition of Hugh Cameron (top), proprietor of Otematata Station. Hugh found himself suddenly in charge of the huge enterprise when his own father died unexpectedly, and he was left in charge of a 30,000-strong flock of merinos. Hugh de Lacy You can never start succession planning soon enough, according to Hugh Cameron, proprietor of the vast 41,000ha Otematata Station in the South Island’s Waitaki Valley. The station has been in the Cameron family for five generations, and Hugh has learned from his own experience the importance of ensuring that the succession process is managed, rather than just left to happen. Hugh found himself suddenly in charge of the huge enterprise that is Otematata Station when his own father died unexpectedly, and he was left in charge of a 30,000-strong flock of merinos and 300 mostly Hereford and Angus cross cattle. “Succession happened immediately, literally overnight, and as the only farming son – I’ve got two sisters – I was faced with a blank canvas as to how it would pan out,” Hugh says. “It was a huge responsibility to get stuck with so suddenly and it took a long time to adjust to.” Hugh is currently in the process of easing son Joe and Joe’s wife Pip into control of Otematata, but even that process was disrupted by the death of Hugh’s wife Mandy, which at a stroke doubled his workload. As a result he’s had to off-load much of his farmwork to Joe and Pip, and that’s provided a steep learning curve for all involved. Though Joe was brought up on the farm and had the advantage of being involved in his father’s running of the station since he could walk, he had other priorities when he came to decide what to do with his life. Rather than going straight onto the land as his father and grandfather did, he launched himself into a six-years career as an airline pilot with JetStar. Joe returned to Otematata six years ago with Pip, a rural school-teacher, and Hugh began the succession planning process a year later. Over the subsequent five years Joe and Pip have gone from having about a 10% responsibility for the running of the place, with Hugh handling the bulk of the work, to about 90% of it now. “We’ve reached the stage where we’ve employed a stock manager, Sam Clouston, to handle the day-to-day stock management while Joe focusses on irrigation and dry-land farming, and on the agronomy of the place while dealing with all the people involved,” Hugh says. “I’m still making stock decisions but I’m gradually divesting myself of that role, and Joe is emerging as the business manager.” The most important part of succession planning is “to become aware of people’s expectations early, and work them into the plan,” Hugh says. “We’ve made pretty much a joint venture of it so we all know what’s happening at any time.” The Camerons maintain a management strategy of minimal contact with their livestock, as suits the size of the property which includes 530ha of dryland development and 161ha of irrigation. Of the merino flock, 10,000 are wethers which roam the estate much of the year, and are mustered in the autumn onto lower wintering high country until they’re shorn in the spring. The 12,000 commercial ewes, serviced by a team of 275 rams, get more attention through pregnancy scans and foot-health checks, and the station also runs a stud flock of 400 ewes to provide its own rams. The stud flock supplies the genetics for the commercial ewes, with the sources broadened by the buying in of rams for specific traits from the Armidale Merino Stud of the Maniototo, Central Otago. Otematata station’s cattle comprise Hereford cows covered by Angus and Simmental bulls, though Angus bulls are used over first-time mothers to reduce the size of the calf for easier calving. RURAL PEOPLE » Otematata Station mckenzie+co chartered accountants | business advisors 16 Wear Street, Oamaru 9400 | 0800 007 377 | www.mckenzieca.co.nz Cameron Family = High Country Farming at its finest Proudly supporting Otematata Station Animal Health Partners
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