Starting in 1989 Karen & Bob Curry were one of the first breeders of purebred American Miniature Horses in New Zealand.  From just a few the herd grew to over thirty by 2005 with numerous progeny on sold each year. As part of their pasture management with the miniature horses the Curry’s cross-grazed mainly white-faced (Hereford-cross) cattle, which they bought in as weanlings and on sold to the beef market at around 18 months to 2 year old. As the horses are so selective in their grazing and crop the pasture very close to the ground, weeds were a particular problem without the cross grazing of cattle.  The horse / cattle combination worked well, but with cyclic low returns from the beef market, Karen & Bob were looking at specializing into breeding pure-bred cattle to on sell to other breeders and life-stylers.

Enter the White Galloway in 2003, the first four of which were purchased from John & Beryl Cleland (Ngutunui Stud), who were starting to disperse their herd at the time.        

Suncrest Arctic Bella (calf - Reg 12573) with 2 cows

The Galloway’s easy calving and ability to maintain weight during the winter months has enabled good numbers to be established but the grazing of lush ex-dairy land has been a challenge requiring the need for extensive strip grazing to control weight during most of the year.  

Plans are to maintain a herd of around 15 (limited by the ~6ha available grazing) and like the Miniature Horses, on-sell progeny to breeders and life-stylers.

World Galloway Congress – New Zealand 2008

The Galloway Cattle Society of New Zealand had the privilege of hosting the 2008 World Galloway Congress in Auckland from 1-2 March 2008.  Delegates from 8 countries attended the 2-day Congress which was followed by a 3-day farm tour of selected North Island studs.  Bob & Karen attended the Congress Proceedings and accompanied the delegates on their North Island farm tour down to Wellington, and then had the honour of hosting the visitors at their Suncrest Stud on the final leg of the tour.  Many ideas and techniques were traded with the delegates, very useful feed-back and support was received on the Stud’s herd management and breeding programme, and some excellent friendships and networking resulted. Many thanks to the organisers and all who were involved.