50 | Renewed focus on improving merino operation Wethers on the Autumn muster. Karen Phelps After years of hard work, careful development and a renewed focus on improving its merino operation, Otematata Station has been recognised among Otago’s best wool producers taking home the Supreme Award at the Otago Merino Association Awards. The annual awards evening, held in June 2026 at The Finery in Alexandra celebrated excellence in merino wool production and at the same time raised funds for the Child Cancer Foundation. The winning fleeces were selected during shearing by the farm’s classer Rose Barnett with the best fleeces donated to the Child Cancer Foundation before being judged by the Otago Merino Association. The Cameron family’s two properties, Aviemore and Otematata, are operated as one enterprise and total 41,000ha in the South Island’s Waitaki Valley. It runs a 30,000-strong flock of merinos, including a stud flock of 300 ewes to provide its own rams, and 400 Hereford cattle. Joe says the awards results reflected the strength of both operations with Aviemore placing second in the 15.9 micron and finer category and Otematata taking first place in the 17.0 to 17.9 micron class. For Joe Cameron, who has returned to the family farm around a decade ago and now manages the business, the recognition was both surprising and rewarding. “It was certainly unexpected. We also won it in 2022 so it’s recognition that we are heading in the right direction, which is nice to know.” The award success comes with improved seasons and confidence returning seeing Otematata Station able to invest in infrastructure and management changes designed to improve performance. “After some hard years, more paddock subdivision is happening to increase lamb survival. Building yards and foot rot trough facilities - projects that have been on the back burner for years - are starting to happen now,” says Joe. One major focus has been reducing mob sizes to improve lamb survival and reduce the risk of mismothering. “We are dividing a paddock at the moment into 60-hectare blocks from 300 hectares,” he says. Development has also brought new challenges including foot rot management. The introduction of more productive pastures, including lucerne, has required adjustments to maintain animal health. “We’re growing lucerne to feed the stock better and provide green grass, but merinos don’t handle the green grass so well,” explains Joe. “So we’ve put troughs in, vaccinated them for foot rot and tweaked management.” Otematata Station remains owned by Joe’s father Hugh with Joe taking responsibility as business RURAL PEOPLE » Otematata Station manager, overseeing the day-to-day running of the enterprise, agronomy and development work as well as lending a hand during busy periods. He works alongside stock manager Sam Clouston and Joe’s wife Philippa supports the station with many roles behind the scenes while running her own business on farm. A strong season last year helped the station reach the production targets it had been working towards. Previously, cull merinos were often sold as stores, but improved conditions allowed the farm to finish more animals successfully and Joe sees the future as bright. “The farm came good last year and we really got it to the point we envisaged. It was a good season and that was the sweet spot. We fattened our culled merinos and it went really well so we’re hoping for the same this year.” www.ruraltransport.co.nz T R A N S P O R T L T D Ashburton (03) 308 4079 Waimate (03) 689 6100 Kurow (03) 436 0849 Fairlie (03) 685 8911 St Andrews (03) 612 6605 • Stock Cartage • General Freight • Fertiliser Spreading •Bulk Cartage • Hiab Hire • Cool Storage • Blower Trucks 3 Usk Street, Oamaru 9400 | www.nops.co.nz | 03 434 7766 We supply & provide agronomy for Otematata Station. Speak to our team today! Your local independent, rural experts. Let’s talk Agronomy Make a sound investment in success. “We’re growing lucerne to feed the stock better and provide green grass, but merinos don’t handle the green grass so well.”
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