‘One thing about life is that as the years tick over and your age creeps up the years seem to go faster. You’ve just got over
the last years Bull Sale and it’s ready to prepare for another one. I’ve had more time this year, due to being laid up for a while
to have a new hip replacement. It still comes down to a rush at the end as now there’s every chance the catalogue won’t be
delivered on time.

What a year it has been, I would say the first two thirds of it was probably the best time in my farming life with all the Gods
lining up in terms of receipts from livestock, crops etc. With plenty of feed to grow everything out. I should have known that
things were too good to be true when on the 16th of February, just a couple of days before my operation, the heavens opened
up and blew us to pieces. It’s so pleasant enjoying the fruits of other generations endeavors in planting multi species of trees
but 150 years later they mostly came down in one night, much to our disbelief. I don’t think anything would have prepared us
for the true resulting carnage that occurred, but we could at least get the 500 lambs away that were booked that morning
after a few hours on chainsaws clearing a track for the truck to get in.

The cattle and sheep markets have turned to the better, to a level that we could all look to making a few more dollars to pay
the bills. However, Mr. Trump had other ideas about the political situation in the Middle East, namely Iran and its determination
to have nuclear bombs, which has blown our cost structures to pieces. I hope the price for our produce stay at this level for
a while to save our hurt that the oil industry can implode upon us.

The good thing about having grass is that it is easier to feed stock well throughout the whole season, so all the different
classes of stock have done very well. An indication of this was in the weaner market which showed that if the cows are well
fed well, the calves will weigh well. We were fortunate enough to purchase 115 weaners of Merchiston breeding for an average
weight of nearly 300 kilos! way ahead of last year.

This year we used 4 young sires in natural service beside 3 purchased bulls from around the North island. All have returned
in good shape, but we have decided to lead the sale this year with the 4 used bulls even though they will not be the heaviest
bulls up for auction. When they went out with the cows their weights were comparable to the other top young bulls. Careful
attention was placed on the phenotype and performance wrapped into one package. It goes without saying that these 4
young bulls are all out of top performing cows.

The quest to add to the genetic equation always continues and I think itis fair to say that we do push the barrow out further
than most. We are not afraid to try different things to try and better the performance of the sires that we sell for your benefit. If
we are not going ahead then your herd and their offspring will not be improving. Our herd at Merchiston are young cows as we.
sold all our older cows a few tears ago. At weaning recently there was not one dud weaner calf, which is the way we want it.

To all those that contribute to the successful operation of our enterprise here, I thank you all sincerely once again for all the
work you do to make this sale happen and to the management of the stock and farm as a whole. Willie will have completed
a year as manager of Merchiston with the 2 old boys, Lloyd. and I doing as we are told!! Some of the changes involve more
cropping, drones and of late 3 pigs. It won’t be long before we will be wearing “halters”!

To Mike, Kate, Heather and Pete, we couldn’t do this without your contribution from up in the Rangiwahia hills, it gives us
the scope we need and keeps our feet firmly on the ground.

Vicki needs a special thank you for all she has done over more than 26 years of our own on farm sale, always welcoming of
everyone and quick to get the gate open for the last bull again!

We look forward to meeting with you all again on the 3rd June at 2:30pm, to help you find the bull you require and to
enjoy some social time with clients and friends.

Regards,
‘The team at Merchiston.

SALE DAY – WEDNESDAY 3RD JUNE 2024 – 2.30PM SHARP

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