Excellent farming season makes for a memorable edition of a unique event on the Mackenzie District’s farming calendar.

One of the biggest events in the Mackenzie District’s farming calendar, this year was the 31st edition of the Rollesby Valley Lamb Sale.

PGG Wrightson Livestock Mid-South Canterbury regional manager Joe Higgins said the mid-February sale reflected an excellent farming season.

“We sold 16,000 lambs from six local farms, with values for most vendors up on last year by between $35 and $50 per head. In Mid and South Canterbury late spring and summer this year has seen among the best growth in memory, which along with export schedules holding well into the summer, has made for a successful season. Farmers are making the most of these conditions.”

Initially set up by Fairlie-based PGG Wrightson Livestock Bruce Dunbar and the Monroe family at Airies Station, several other neighbouring Rollesby Valley farms have been involved over the years. 

“Bruce’s idea was to sell the lambs as stores, when they are at their best right off their mothers, in February, when buyers most want them."

“Each year the sale is a major event on our calendar, and likewise for the clients. Our whole team is involved in a big logistical exercise, and we also bring in reps from outside the area, with PGG Wrightson trainees from around Otago and Canterbury lending a hand,” says Joe.

Aside from ever present Airies Station, which invariably sells the most stock, the participating farms have changed over the years. However, the event has settled on a core group of farms Single Hill Farm, MG and BE McKerchar, Bauchop Hill, Waiau Creek, previously Coolgardie Station, all Bruce Dunbar’s clients, that have each sold stock at the event for at least the past ten years.

“Several loyal, repeat buyers keep returning to Rollesby Valley for the big day. Many of these are Mid Canterbury cropping farmers looking for stock to graze their recently harvested paddocks,” says Joe.

Sale lambs are weaned the day before, typically sorted into lines by size and type, and penned in the yards on each participating farm. One year the farm at the bottom of the valley hosts the first sale, with the sale then progressing up, then the next year the pattern is reversed with the day starting at the top of the valley, progressing down. This year the sale went up the valley, from bottom to top.

You can read about Bruce's involvement with the sales over the years here. 

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