Left: The Gallagher Northland Angus NZ Ward Tour conference dinner was enjoyed at the Duke of Marlborough in Russell, Bay of Islands
Centre: Angus NZ cows at Rorira stud, the first stop on the Gallagher Northland Angus NZ Ward Tour.
Right: Dinner the first night was at the Omapere Hotel on the Hokianga Harbour.
Credit: Andrea Mansfield, Farmers Weekly
In March 2026 the Gallagher Northland Angus NZ Ward Tour guided 60 plus Angus NZ breeders and industry associates around Northland’s Angus NZ studs, stunning scenery and cultural sites in a three day tour.
Based out of Waitangi’s Bay of Islands, the travellers first visited the Rorira Angus stud of Rhys & Helen Dackers and Bob Steed at Tangiteroria, where they have newly established a growing herd of 40 stud cows, and 160 farm-finished bulls/steers along with 470 Auckland Romney Development Group (ARDG) FE tolerant Romney breeding ewes.
Next was the Te Atarangi Angus NZ stud of Chris and Karren Biddles at Te Kopuru where they have spent the past 42 years developing their 900ha operation running 310 registered Angus NZ cows alongside 120 crossbred cows and selling 120 yearling Angus NZ bulls per year.
The group travelled through the Waipoua Forest visiting “Tane Mahuta” and stopped at the beautiful Omapere Hotel on the shores of the Hokianga harbour.
Day two started with a presentation from Dan Garrick on the advances in recording and reporting under the Helical interface and what he sees as the opportunities for genetic advancement in the future. We then continued to Alpine Angus at Moerewa, where Stephen Herries concentrates on longevity and maternal type in his cows and on producing bulls that will last for six productive seasons.
The afternoon offered either a boat trip out in the Bay of Islands visiting the ‘Hole in the Rock’, or a visit to the Waitangi Treaty grounds ending with a Conference dinner and Generation Angus NZ auction at the historic Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell.
On day three the group travelled North to the Puketi and Lomond studs of the Graham family at Okaihau (Hamish and Sandra Sheard (nee Graham)) running 135 stud cows and 220 commercials on 700ha with Daphne Graham running 70 studs and 150 commercials on the original and pine tree blocks). The newly established Hokianga stud of Doug and Anita Booth building numbers of stud and commercial cows were also shown at Okaihau.
Tour Chairman Chris Biddles, acknowledged the ongoing support from Gallagher NZ, Boehringer Ingelheim and sponsors to help make the Northland Ward Tour such a success and a chance to profile a passionate group of Northland’s Angus NZ stud breeders.