Page 135 - 2020 NZ Hereford Magazine

fellowship and catching up, as well as an with first and second prize plus a great the nationals was sadly a thing of the
unbelievable line-up of the best Hereford price in the ring. The nationals have some past. We had a dispersal sale along the
bulls in New Zealand. great memories for those of us who are way and sold all the breeding cows and
Most studs would go to the nationals old enough to remember. retained the heifers as a way of getting
each year to buy their stud bulls and some Mum and Dad never missed a herd things to a manageable level, and today
of the legends of the breed were sourced tour and some of the stories that came we run a dozen females and sell most of
from there. I remember as a young boy, out of the tours were great. They were our bulls as weaners.
probably still at primary school, seeing very social and just loved being with Over the past 10 or so years we have
people who I had only heard about. Frosty fellow Hereford breeders. They toured bought some handy bulls in conjunction
Goodall, Fred Humphreys, Derek Barker, Argentina and Dad went to Canada as with Bruce and Caroline Robinson at
Nelson James, Charlie Tripp, Roger NZHA president. Herefords were a huge Duncraigen, including Grassmere Spark
Hutchinson; all there in the flesh. It was part of Mum and Dad’s social calendar. 555. We still enjoy the cattle and still
like a gathering of famous movie stars. Meanwhile, the stud continued on and keep involved with the Taranaki Hereford
Then along came the Chestermans, Lees, we kept showing and bringing bulls to Club, which is currently doing really well
Guys and Kanes, and all the next wave of the nationals. with the team of young breeders at the
breeders. Charlie and Margaret Lee were I followed Dad onto the council in helm. Our youngest son Fraser is the
from Blenheim at that stage and I can still the 1990s and was part of the NZPBB only one of our kids to go farming and
remember the way Margaret would set changeover as well as a founding he is a great help to Min and me. He is
up their stall with flowers and everything. director of Hereford Prime. I thoroughly dairy farming nearby and seems to have
They were great days and great people. enjoyed my years on the council and was inherited his grandfather’s eye for stock.
At home we were part of setting up lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of We are currently preparing a small team
the Taranaki Hereford Club and we then time with the legendary Don Goodall. It for the Stratford Show. There won’t be
began selling our bulls through the club was like being in heaven. I roomed with any big old Banners or old Goldie there
sale. We were by far the largest breeder Don in the motel and we had some great to beat us, but sadly Herefords will be the
in Taranaki and approximately 75% of discussions about cattle and stacking minority breed among all the many new
the catalogue would be Gay Learning pedigrees. That was a rare privilege and and wonderful beef breeds we now see.
bulls. The sale enjoyed great success for something I treasured. I was also lucky Each year I say this is my last year
a number of years but is now a thing of enough to be involved with a great bunch and now with the stud hitting the 60-year
the past. Most of the bulls in Taranaki are of true cattlemen during my time on the milestone I just might call it quits and
sold at on-farm auctions and I personally council and remember being impressed hang up the halters. I have some great
think it’s the best way to sell them. Each with the passion that guys like Roger calves this year from Kokonga Anzac so
vendor can look after their own clients Wanklyn and Mal McConochie had it will be tough not to hang around and
better and that way everyone wins. for the beef industry. My main income see them through. Perhaps Min and I
I mentioned earlier that our goal was was from my real estate business and I and Fraser can do another year.
to get a bull to the nationals each year; always felt a little out of my depth when
we were able to do that most years and these guys started talking about the beef
won the pairs one year and were fourth industry. They were great days. THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT:
overall another year. I remember the year Mum and Dad passed away in 2000 Min McDonald with her in-laws, Tom and
a young and fit Peter Hansen had two and 2001, exactly six months apart, and Tuki, at the New Plymouth A&P Show in the
mid-1970s; Min and Peter McDonald with
sons of Acton Defiant there on his first Min and I and our five kids carried on the Champion Pair at the 1985 National
attempt at the nationals and walked away with the stud and the showing, although Hereford Sale.

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