The event was part of the judging process to select the winner of the Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Maori sheep and beef farm in the country. Omapere is one of three finalists. The others are Puketawa Station, near Eketahuna, Northern Wairarapa, and the Pukepoto Farm Trust, near Taumarunui. Peter Burke reports.
The 902HA (eff) Omapere farm is a mixed sheep and beef property, now transitioning into a mainly bull beef rearing operation. The farm borders Lake Omapere.
Since 2007, the present trustees of the property have embarked on an extensive strategic plan to improve the farm.
The judges who selected Omapere as one of the three finalists in the competition noted many positives, including the clear strategy of the trust, its contribution to education and its overall farm performance.
The setting of the farm is stunning; from high vantage points there are great views of Lake Omapere, the only Maori-owned lake in the country, which is managed by a separate Maori trust.
Before the present trustees took on the task of running the property in 2007, the farm was in poor shape but over the years they have progressively improved the land.
The move from a sheep and beef unit to mostly bull finishing is mainly because of better beef prices, but also the lower cost of using electric fencing for the bulls as opposed to upgrading conventional fences for sheep.
For farm manager Lloyd Brennan, an experienced farmer, a big challenge is clearing gorse which over time has got away. No new areas are being cleared until already-cleared areas are brought under control. Rushes are also a problem, as is getting experienced staff to work on the farm.
Brennan says bulls are a challenge. “They are unpredictable. Keep them contented and they are fine, but when pressure comes on them – not getting enough feed or if the weather turns – they are a different kettle of fish.”
The field day included a tour of the farm and a series of presentations by the trustees. This drew much praise from local farmers, consultants and others visitors to the region.
The Ahuwhenua management committee runs the competition, and its chairman Kingi Smiler says it was a great field day that incorporated a good farm tour and excellent and insightful presentations about the property and the goals of the trust. He says those who attended the day would have come away well informed and admiring the passion and commitment to making the best of challenging country.
“Like all Maori farms, Omapere has a strong strategic and practical commitment to improving the environment of the property and this is benefiting their whanau and all other people in the district,” Smiler told Rural News.
“Omapere is also doing a lot to encourage its young people to make a career in agribusiness by offering scholarships and this again highlights their intergenerational strategic thinking.”
The chairman of Omapere Rangihamama Trust, Sonny Tau, says he was blown away by the number of people who came to the field day.
“We are in this to win and we are seriously thinking about that all the time. Being a finalist in Ahuwhenua is very, very important not only for the trust, but also the hapu and the iwi of Ngapuhi and we have had great support from the hierarchy of our iwi for this day,” he says.
Tau says since the present trustees took over the trust in 2007 it has gone from being $1.7 million in debt to being an $8.5 million asset – a great achievement.
