4 | RURAL PEOPLE » Armidale Wool Stud Exceptional quality of its fine wool fleece Armidale co-owner Simon Paterson said the family was delighted with the win. Emma Bailey Armidale Wool Stud has taken out the 2026 NZ Royal Agricultural Society’s Golden Fleece Competition winning the Supreme Champion Fine Wool Fleece, amid wool having a long overdue resurgence. The New Zealand Golden Fleece Competition is a highly anticipated event across the country and this year was hosted by Central Otago A&P Association held in April at the WS Hickey Wool Store in Omakau. Armidale co-owner Simon Paterson said the family was delighted with the win, with the merino stud regular attendees of the local A&P shows and well known for the exceptional quality of its fine wool fleeces and stud merino sheep. It was also the 70th anniversary of the WS Hickey Wool Store. “We were really rapt and extremely proud. “There was such a good display of wool, history and wool products as well as being able to see the workings of a wool store.” Armidale Merino Stud at Gimmerburn is a fifth generation farm located in Maniototo. The property is flat to rolling with two summer run blocks and 120ha of irrigation. Simon runs the farm in partnership with his wife Sarah and parents Allan and Eris Paterson. The family already has an impressive collection of silverware and A&P show championship ribbons dating as far back as the Paterson family can remember. The region is known for its hot dry summers and long cold winters. The family has been on the property since the 1880s, with Simon’s two sons the sixth generation on the farm. Simon said the season had been a tough one. “We had an ok spring - it was cold. Summer was pretty marginal and dry and autumn was terrible for our crops, with wind and rain, but it’s been mild enough for us just to squeeze through from a stock food point of view with plenty of supplement feed on hand.” The rams are sold at an on farm auction on the third Friday of January and after that they are sold privately from the start of February. “We had a really good sale this year; the average was well up on previous years with quite a few new clients. Everyone is very positive about wool at the moment. It is brilliant to see resurgence, it was long overdue. “People are starting to realise the positives of natural fibres, merino has always been pretty strong and fine wool is getting quite a push at the moment.” Genetics play a huge role in breeding the sheep in production and quality traits, he said. “We see a massive trait difference between sire groups. It is so easy to have a negative impact if you don’t keep an eye on it.” Through genetics they are drenching less, he said, by breeding disease resistant traits. Meat is also another factor. The sheep used to be just bred for wool but now carcass rates have also become important. June has been quiet for the farm. In July pregnancy scanning and shearing would be staggered with lambing likely mid September. Proud to support Armidale in data recording and management through the use our Performance Recording Software. MacroStock is Comprehensive Pedigree and Performance Recording Software Solution, designed specifically to meet the needs of the Stud Breeder. Containing the essential tools required for the management of all stud records, in one easy way to access locations. If you are a beef, sheep, goat or deer breeder, you can utilise the versatile tools contained within MacroStock to analyse your stock production. With easy to use data screens you can analyse the data of the animals you are producing enabling you to improve their quality, ensuring they have the traits you require – maximising your profitability. 03 307 8053 bob.girvan@vantagepoint.co.nz NEW-GENERATION READY TO TACKLE WORK , WEEKEND AND EVERY ADVENTURE IN BETWEEN Book your test drive today at GWD Toyota Alexandra - 74 Centennial Avenue Phone: 03 448 6989 www.gwdtoyota.co.nz
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