Glenaan Station’s rolling tussock-covered hills and river flats spread over 1035 hectares in the upper Rakaia Gorge near Double Hill has come out tops in a local hogget competition.

Mid Canterbury farmers Paul and Prue Ensor took out top honours in the Canterbury Merino Association’s Two-Tooth Ewe Flock competition amidst some tough competition.

They also won Canterbury’s wool trophy for the first time.

The judging panel of Bill Sutherland and Guy Martin commended Glenaan for a very well-presented line of two tooth ewes with good rear width.

"There is no downside to a big butt," they said.

The judges also mentioned the station's balanced approach to breeding with good use of type and structure and for selecting the best available rams in their estimated breeding value range.

While it was "pretty cool" to win after eight years of entering the competition, Paul said it was "all about learning and the exchange of ideas".

About 70 people went to view flocks on three farms in North Canterbury and five farms in Mid Canterbury over two days.

There was a lot of talk about breeding values and developing a modern merino that balances good wool quality with an improvement in carcass and reproductive ability, Paul said.

The different ways farmers were dealing with the dry conditions, such as grazing elsewhere or bringing in supplementary feed, were also discussed.

Paul said the area in the upper Rakaia was the driest it had been for about 50 years.

While they had a reasonable early spring, the area had been dry since October last year.

The recent rain would help, but it wouldn't change the outlook for winter. With only a few weeks of growth left, it was too late to have much effect on this year's winter feed crop.

Paul said he had 900 ewes gazing off farm since January and he hoped to keep them there for a few more months to ensure he had the right winter feed resources.

Glenaan Station was buying in balage and feed this year and would be buying twice the usual amount of straw this winter.

Paul said the station usually traded cattle over winter but that was on hold this year.

Other results

Runner-up in the competition was Grampians Station, followed by Glenthorne Station near Lake Coleridge in third, Lake Heron in Mid Canterbury's high country placed fourth, and Lake Coleridge Station came fifth.

Grampians Station won the most improved trophy and Glenthorne Station won the award for best conformation.

By Sharon Davis