| 9 RURAL PEOPLE » Awarima Station Monique says with three busy children, an expansive farming business and the daily tasks and challenges that come, there’s never a moment to spare. One of the aspects of being a highly regarded breeder of Angus genetics, is the fact that through the years you grow wonderful relationships with farming families. That’s certainly the case at Mt Mable Angus established in 1967 near Ohura in the proud King Country, as Megan Friel explains. “It goes well beyond supplying top quality bulls for our farmer clients to select from. We understand beef cow farming situations well and what they need to enhance their own businesses and its just such a delight to see them return time and time again to invest in what we have to offer.” Each year, Megan and husband Kevin offer up 30-35 R2 bulls at their on-farm sale at Kumeroa, some 14km west of Woodville. Their bulls are known and sought after for their ability to thrive in a variety of conditions, their good temperament, sound structure, sound feet and very good fertility. These attributes haven’t happened by accident, but rather through the very careful selection of sires. “Our bulls go to owners often in challenging situations. They have to be able to perform year in year out, cope with the terrain and conditions and just get on with their business.” Megan says especially producing bulls with good natures is critical. Clients don’t want an animal that present it’s own or it’s progeny’s handling issues. Temperament is incredibly heritable. This year’s June sale, produced very pleasing results, averaging $13,800. While the couple always present bulls that measure up to their exacting standards, Megan says this year, the values were particularly good. “I think its a storm of circumstances that attributed to this year’s great results. In the US, the cow-herd is at an all-time low and pine trees being planted on a lot of breeding country in NZ. Those that have retained their breeding cows are benefitting.” Bulls are sold as far away as Northland, however most are sold into the districts surrounding Tararua. Several long standing clients remain in the King Country, including Tim and Monique Neeson of Awarima Station. Follow-up on how the boys perform is part of the relationship, with Kevin phoning every bull buyer in the Autumn. This year’s sale was particularly special, celebrating 40 years of onfarm sales at which three copies of Dr Robert Hough’s ‘The History of Aberdeen Angus’ were presented, two of those to 40 year buyers. “I had the great honour of being asked to be a pre-reader of the book. It’s a wonderful anthology of the development of the breed through the years, and, as such, goes well beyond just focussing on the Angus breed. It’s a commentary as to the agricultural and industrial revolutions and a simply wonderful read.” The couple each bring their own skills into the mix, within the business, with Kevin being an inate master stockman, while also concentrating on fertiliser, pasture rotation and grazing, while Megan brings technical, recording and marketing skills. Megan says, with a smile, she also brings robustly debated input into breeding decisions. Highly regarded Angus breeder we’re just going to focus on the farm products that make sense economically.” Monique says her greatest dream would be to see one of the children take over the business in years to come. Never without a thought to try something new though, Monique says, when they acquired more land, a hectare became the home for growing sunflowers, much to the delight of locals. “We called it the Itty Bitty Farm and it was well received. The plot just spread some joy throughout Taumarunui. Last year was our first go at this and we’ll do it again. When the flowering season was over we fed them to the cows, so nothing was wasted.” Monique says with three busy children, an expansive farming business and the daily tasks and challenges that come, there’s never a moment to spare. “Life is busy. This is a wonderful environment to raise a family in.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=