Thursday, March 28, 2024

Breeder still counting on sheep

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Mid Canterbury sheep farmers Mark and Robyn Copland have a long association with the Canterbury A&P Association with their involvement this year making it to their farming record book as the best year ever. Annette Scott caught up with the couple to find out why.
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Mark and Robyn Copland are respected purebred sheep breeders who have followed two older generations of breeding and showing Border Leicester sheep at the Canterbury A&P Show.

At the annual event, now called the New Zealand Agricultural Show, last month the couple were named 2019 Show Ambassadors of the Year on top of the field day their Westmere Farming Company had exhibiting in the sheep section.

Included in the haul of trophies collected by Westmere Stud’s Border Leicester sheep was the supreme wool breed sheep exhibit and the champion of champions wool breeds pair – champion ram and champion ewe.

Westmere Stud also took home the best ewe hogget and the best wool breed ram hogget awards and the Food and Fibre Trifecta Award for the best three ram hoggets of a wool breed.

While over the years they have won champion breed titles this is by far their biggest success and one Mark says is unlikely to ever happen again.

Just the week out from the show he had made comment to Robyn that the show sheep this year weren’t quite up to the usual standard.

“I got that very wrong but it does all come back to what the judges see on the day,” Copland said.

“It was mind-blowing, the day became a blur really. It seemed to be one class after another. It just doesn’t happen that way.

“No one breed dominates but the Borders did this year. It’s just the way the cards fell.”

While proud for the family stud and its years of breeding Border Leicester, Copland was modest of personal accolades.

“The family has been doing it for years and this is huge for the family. 

“It’s great for the breed and for the family. It all came together this year.”

Copland said competing against the best of the other wool breeds, including Merino, made it even more special to win with the coarse wool animal.

Judges said while Merino is worth a lot more the Westmere supreme champion ram’s wool couldn’t be faulted for soundness and evenness of fleece.

The ram has now been shorn but despite the trophy haul Copland is not expecting any increase his wool cheque.

“We have just finished the shearing since the show and just wish we could get a bit more value out of the crossbred wool. It almost cost me to shear.”

Westmere Stud was formed in 1932 by Mark’s grandfather, Henry Copland. 

Initially under the name McCombie Stud it has been under the guise of Westmere Farming since 1953. 

Henry was always known as a very astute and progressive breeder. Copland’s father, Derek, carried on with the stud until third generation Mark took over. 

Westmere Farming has exhibited sheep at the Canterbury show for 80 years and over three generations has consistently been in the top echelon of prize winners in the breed and interbreed classes. 

Copland is a well-respected judge both in the Border Leicester breed and with all breeds. 

Westmere Farming annually exhibits a strong team of animals with Copland the breed captain of the Border Leicester section and also a co-opted member of the wider sheep section. 

He is supported by Robyn and his sons in the role. 

Away from the sheep pens Copland’s other passion in the show movement is dog trialling.

That has won him many national and international awards. He is also a regular member of the national dog trials team, last year captaining the winning NZ side in the Trans-Tasman tests.

It has been the extensive show involvement that deemed the Coplands to be excellent ambassadors who will promote and enhance the ethos and ethics of the Canterbury A&P Association, director Richard Lemon said in the award citation.

Back home on the farm it’s back to grassroots business.

“Home on Friday, weaning on Sunday and shearing on Monday. It’s been busy enough.”

As well as the stud that runs 200 Border Leicester ewes, the 670 hectare farm runs a breeding flock of 2500 Romney and Border Romney ewes, finishes 1000 beef cattle from winter to summer, grows barley and pea crops and share farms potatoes.

Son Hugh is now the fourth generation involved in the day-to-day running of the farm, having left a banking career.

“The young ones these days are not so keen on running around after sheep.

“When I left school we had 6000 ewes here. We have diminished the breeding flock numbers over the years but I think the influence of the next generation could change that further.

“This year we finished 5000 additional store lambs and that was pretty much Hugh’s doing.”

Irrigation was developed on the farm 15 years ago and now with 80% under irrigation the operation has diversified. 

Copland is upbeat about the future of sheep farming.

“Nine dollars for spring lambs we sold last week, we’ve never seen that before.

“Mutton at $6.50, who would have thought it would get up to that.

“The ewe fairs are going to be hot this season. 

“The sheep industry is so small it’s almost a niche industry these days. 

“I’m happy to stay a part of it,” Copland said.

Despite his optimism in the industry Copland said he usually sells 40 to 50 Westmere Stud rams to commercial farmers and the values they are fetching so far this year haven’t increased proportionately to reflect the record high sheep meat prices.

The future for Westmere Farming Company? 

“I think I could safely say this place will never be cows.”

But the next generation is looking at options.

“It could be watch this space on sheep milking,” Copland said.

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