Page 23 - Hereford Magazine 2021

Fred and Dick with one of their two-year-old sale bulls at the NZ Another father and son team; Peter (right) and son Matt in
Hereford National Sale at the Palmerston North Showgrounds. front of the Wilencote sale ring.

The original three cows produced three registered calves as that’s like a dream. Rather than using our two eyes – which are
recorded in the 1920-21 Herd Book (purchased from E Short attached to a really good computer – you’ve got something
of Parorangi, Feilding). In 1923 the herd was transferred to between your ears that can tell you yes or no quite quickly,
F E Humphreys and moved to Wilencote. whether this is right or this is wrong.”
A number of the original females were by “We’re still He’s quick to add he does still use EBVs,
overseas sires, namely President Wilson, looking at the but isn’t following the push for low birth
Eaton Oak, and Eaton Chancellor. weight and short gestation because of the
In 1930 several more heifers were main role for dairy industry.
purchased from Parorangi dispersal sale; beef, and that’s to “We’re still looking at the main role for
one of those females, Happy Hilda 22nd, produce a meal, beef, and that’s to produce a meal, it’s meat
was the dam of Beau Gem, the first polled it’s meat on a on a plate. And the more you can produce of
Hereford bull to win a New Zealand Royal good quality, the better, so we set middle of
Championship in 1935. He was also Royal plate.” the road and a little bit higher, because we
Champion Bull in 1936. Peter Humphreys still want a good calf.”
Prior to this, Fred imported the first polled Wilencote Polled Herefords Susie grew up on Waimanu at Whangara
Hereford into New Zealand – Royal Gem (now sold to forestry), which had a small
from Illinois in the US. In order to promote Hereford stud. Peter grew up on Wilencote
the polls, showing became an important promotion, and and headed for law school in 1971 after finishing his
over the years, cattle were shown extensively, winning 11 New secondary schooling at Christ’s College in Christchurch. He
Zealand Royal Championships. returned home when his father died in 1972. To the young
Wilencote cattle were exported to a number of countries, but student, farming was a more appealing career option than law.
primarily to Australia. “I’d always loved animals. From a young kid, I’ve always
In 1952 Dick went into partnership with his parents, Fred had a menagerie of pets, like weka chicks and pukeko chicks,
and Erica, and was a gifted seedstock producer until his the pet mouse, the budgie, the lizard, the eel in the trough.
untimely death in 1972. Adjusting to circumstances, Fred I mean, I’ve always enjoyed animals, probably in some cases
came out of retirement and eased grandson Peter into the more than humans sometimes, they just don’t really ask for a
breeding operation. At that time, Peter says the functionality lot back, just to be cared for and looked after. I knew my heart
had gone out of the breed; it took the importation of other was with livestock. I was never forced back. I came home.”
breeds to push the breed forward. Peter and Susie married in 1978 and took over management
“The old stud masters, bless their souls, survived on secrets of the farm, with Fred moving to town in 1981.
and mystique. They kept showing, and kept showing; chasing “We moved to Fred’s house, mum stayed until my brother
show traits that really didn’t have a lot of economic benefit Guy got married, then Guy and I farmed together for about
or commercial reality. So then people like John Absolom 16 years.”
came in with his imported Simmentals. And a lot of the old They sold 324ha of steeper Wilencote country in 1996 to
commercial farmers, particularly in Gisborne who maybe had allow the brothers to start farming on their own accounts.
black cows or red cows, crossed them, and said, ‘wow, look at “We were pleased when it went to a private family from
the size of that calf we’re getting’. So then, before you knew it, Canada with forestry interests in Vancouver and a caring
Hereford breeders were trying to get them that big too.” attitude towards the future of the land. They’re good
Once Fred was gone, Peter and Susie did some showing, but neighbours.”
not for long; they were after more commercial functionality. The 421ha home farm has stayed much the same, says Peter,
“It has to work and work well, because when that client but as he neared his 60th birthday, the main change was
buys your bull – and this is where I’m a little bit adrift with getting rid of the sheep.
mainstream EBV thinking – they’re being sold something “It was an old property and we lost a generation of R&M

Year 2021 HEREFORD MAGAZINE 21