Queenstown Stud holding Remarkable Deer Sale

Remarkables Park Stud Farm is holding its annual 2010 Red Deer Stud Sale on January 13 on the Queenstown Farm.

Remarkables Park Stud has been breeding genetically superior Red Deer for more than three decades and the sale is an opportunity for buyers from all around the country to gain access to its high performance stud stags. Major incentives for buyers are that the stud provides free delivery anywhere in NZ and sells their stags free of any genetic breeding restrictions.

Taking place at the Queenstown stud, the auction begins at 12.30pm. The stud presents all sires for sale in full antler. It also offers venison breeders a range of sires with outstanding breeding values. The stud expects that their top BV23.56 is a NZ record for a Stud sale. Buyers can pick out their new stock based on breeding values only, antlers only or both if they are seeking top quality dual purpose sires.

The Remarkables Park Stud Farm year after year consistently provides the most two year ‘sire stags’ over 200kgs in NZ.

This year’s auction is expected to present 57 deer for sale, with estimated 2 year old stag weights up to 250kg and yearling stags up to 146kg.

“The hallmarks of our stud deer are high breeding values, consistently big frames, great temperament and quality antler genetics,” said Remarkables Park Stud Farm director Alastair Porter.

The stud achieves its success in breeding quality stock through its well developed Artificial Insemination programme which results in high performance stags bred for temperament, performance and both velvet and venison.

“Remarkables Park achieves its outstanding performance notwithstanding more difficult alpine conditions than its principal competitors. Not surprisingly our stags have a reputation for shifting well to both high country stations as well as to warmer country farms.”

To have a look at some of the progeny and stags that will be on sale, breeders and buyers can visit the Remarkables Park Stud Farm website www.remarkablestags.com or calling 021 441 445.

For any further enquiries or requests to view the deer prior to the sale, please contact Farm Manager Phil Dawson by emailing manager@remarkablespark.com.

About Remarkables Park Stud Farm

Remarkables Park was purchased in 1988 by Porter Group Ltd. The stud is in Queenstown, New Zealand and has been a deer farm since 1979.

The Porter family has a strong family heritage in Otago. Our great grandparents emigrated to Dunedin 1863, and our grandfather George Cook was the engineer who built many South Island viaducts -- of particular note those in the Tairei Gorge.

Alastair, John and Neville Porter started deer farming in 1976 at South Kaipara Head, north of Auckland. Alastair was an early member of the NZ Deer Farmers Council. He played a key role in the formation of the Game Industry Board and was for many years a Board member and Deputy Chairman. He chaired the Industry’s Quality Assurance venison programme and initiated the development of Cervena as premium farmed venison brand for New Zealand. Alastair has strongly supported the use of Artificial Insemination technology and was a foundation member of Deer Improvement Ltd until it was merged back into parent company Livestock Improvement Corporation.

The stud’s objective is to breed genetically superior high performance Red Deer. The stud sourced 99% of its original Red Deer stock in the South Island in the early 1980’s. Stags have always been bred for temperament and performance, for both venison and velvet.

The Porter Group has single-sire mated and recorded its mating programmes for three decades. The group has focused principally on Eastern, German and Danish bloodlines. The group commenced breeding with European deer imports in 1985, and held its first inaugural Deer Stud Sale in 2002.

In 2008 it adopted a Helmsman-style auction which has been continued since.