Covering the East Coast between Dannevirke and Gisborne.
Our branch, founded in 1978, was one of the early ones. It covers the East Coast between Dannevirke and Gisborne. Our members include lifestylers, farmers and people interested in coloured wool.
Our Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have some foundation members still active in our area. This enables new members to have a mentor to answer queries and give advice on a wide range of subjects.
We have several events throughout the year, including our AGM, Field Days, Competition Days and A and P Shows. Newsletters are sent out on a regular basis, and keep members informed on what is coming up and where to go for advice.
Field Days
These are well supported and are as interesting as they are diverse. They are a learning experience and are appreciated by our members. New members appreciate hearing the advice from the longer serving members, as well as seeing how their sheep and wool compare with those of other breeders. Older members, we are sure, also learn from these days. We join with other branches at least once or twice a year for field days, and we try to make them relaxed, informative and a social occasion.
A and P Shows
We always support our local shows, which are Hawkes Bay, Poverty Bay, Wairoa and Dannevirke. We attend many shows outside our area. Our members often volunteer to steward at our shows as well as compete. We like to take the opportunity to have displays, with spinners and a range of products to promote Black and Coloured Sheep.
Branch Competition Day
This is a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon at the end of November. It gives us the opportunity to compare sheep and lambs and to discuss any problems we may be experiencing.
Breeds
We have various breeds of Black and Coloured sheep in our area, including Romney, Corriedale, Pitt Island, Polwarth, Perendale, Merino, and various crosses of these.