30 | Hopes high for another record-breaking stag Stags grazing at Black Forest Estate. Richard Loader With Black Forest Estate’s annual sale of stud stags and hinds scheduled for the 10th of January next year, stud owner Richard Currie reflects that last year a record $70,000 was paid for a very special three-year-old velvet trophy stag. Richard says he knew the Black Forest Park stag was going to attract a good price, but never imagined quite how good. “He was a very unique stag. He was huge and scored 618 inches of antler. His sire was Alonso, and he was a pretty special stag as well. We didn’t know prior to the sale, but last year Alonso’s head ended up scoring 934 inches of antler. Eastern and English cross bloodlines are used in our antler programme, creating heads with heavy traditional style velvet that will grow out to long wide high scoring trophy head.” In total there were 31 European red deer on offer at last year’s sale including 23 stags for velvet, trophy and growth rates and eight hinds. Since selling the record breaking stud stag, now named Ferdinand, Richard has bought back a half share, with semen used extensively in both owners herds through AI and ET. The owners of some other herds have also purchased semen in the hope of seeing positive results. Looking forward to next year’s Black Forest Park sale in Outram, Richard says while it is very early days in the selection process, there will be another good offering of stags for velvet, trophy, and venison production/growth rates, along with a few stud hinds. “There will be some more off Alonso’s sons in the sale but it’s too early to tell whether there will be any real stars – we would like to think so.” Otago’s Black Forest Park has been part of New Zealand’s deer story since 1980 when Richard’s “He was a very unique stag. He was huge and scored 618 inches of antler. His sire was Alonso, and he was a pretty special stag as well. We didn’t know prior to the sale, but last year Alonso’s head ended up scoring 934 inches of antler.” DEER » Black Forest Park father, entrepreneurial farmer Trevor Currie, established his first deer operation in Outram at the edge of the Taieri Plains. In 1990 Trevor added a 270 hectare property in Clinton to the Black Forest Park operation, running both farms together. Richard and his wife Sarah took over the running of both the Outram property and the stud eight years ago, purchasing the Clinton property two years after that. Black Forest Park now operates a three-way breeding focus; venison growth rates, velvet production and trophy antler, producing stud sire stags for the industry and replacements for their commercial herd. Black Forest Park’s young stags are grown on Outram until two years of age, and then taken to the Clinton property, which is home to the commercial velveting herd and the bulk of the breeding herd. All deer are fully recorded using DNA parentage analysis with the growth rates recorded on Deer Select. “We have approximately 600 mixed age European red velveting stags and 550 breeding hinds at Clinton. “There are also a few yearling hinds, but all the male progeny go through to Outram at weaning and then return as replacement stags as rising three year olds, unless they are offered for sale. Each year we produce around fifty trophy stags for the safari park market.” Lynne Rhodes AI specialises in the arti cial insemination of Red Deer and Elk Use the proven professionalism, skill and experience of Lynne Rhodes AI Ltd to improve your herd genetics. Lynne proudly supports Black Forest Park Mobile 0274 952 461 | E-mail lynne@deerai.co.nz | deerai.co.nz To be held 10th January at 4:30 pm on farm at McDonald Road, Outram and on bidr® blackforest.nz Offering 2 and 3 year old Sire stags selected for... TM /blackforest.nz Alonso 6 yrs VENISON • Superior growth rates • Early calving • Eye muscle area VELVET • Heavy, clean velvet heads with traditional style TROPHY • Long, wide, attractive high scoring heads Boost your herds’ performance with superior genetics from Black Forest Park. Starkey richard@blackforest.co.nz 027 276 0664 Catalogues will be mailed late December, available for download from our website and uploaded into the bidr® auction platform.
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