Passion for genetics put into practice

• Published date: 14 November 2023
• Publication title: Ensign, The

WHEN Pete Gardyne selects Poll Dorset rams for next mating season, he will not have to travel far

Mr Gardyne and his wife Esther, who operate a large-scale farming operation in Southland, bought the Ohio Poll Dorset stud this year from their longtime ram supplier Trevor Potter.

Despite already having a fairly hefty sheep operation with close to 8000 ewes and about 1500 hoggets which were also lambed, the additional challenge of stud breeding has been a desire for some time.

With a passion for genetics and also a very analytical mind, there was an appeal of ‘‘getting in and going that step deeper’’, Mr Gardyne said last week.

The Ohio stud, which comprises 300 ewes, was founded by Trevor’s father, the late Roland Potter, at Pukerau in 1972 and is one of the country’s noted Poll Dorset studs. The Gardyne and Potter families have had a long relationship.

Pete, 36, — a two-time runner-up in the Young Farmer of the Year contest — has been in charge of buying rams for the family group for about 15 years and the only ram breeder he was still buying from from when he started was Mr Potter.

A few years ago, he indicated he would be interested in acquiring the stud if Mr Potter ever decided to sell, so he was the obvious choice when Mr Potter chose to scale down.

To have someone who was both keen and also a very good stockman take over was pleasing, and it was also good to see the stud going as a whole entity rather than being split up at auction, Mr Potter said.

Part of the negotiations — which was not negotiable, Mr Gardyne laughed — was the continued involvement of Mr Potter.

‘‘I’m smart enough to know I don’t know everything,’’ Mr Gardyne said.

Mr and Mrs Gardyne, with their sons Hayden, 9, Nathan, 7, Daniel, 5, and Aaron, 3, farm 1300ha under the name Arkley Farm. Of that, they own about 160ha and lease the remainder.

With home base at Knapdale, near Gore, the properties were spread from Pyramid to Pukerau and ranged from arable flats to fairly hard tussock country.

Their operation comprised predominantly sheep, beef, arable and some winter cow grazing.

Asked whether he preferred livestock or cropping, Mr Gardyne said he was unusual in that he genuinely enjoyed both. Blessed with a short attention span, he was keen to swap jobs around. He enjoyed working with livestock and having a team of dogs but he also enjoyed ‘‘playing with tractors’’ as well.

The Gardyne family has farmed with a balance of livestock and grain for almost 150 years. Mr Gardyne returned...