Jul 19, 2024
Deer farmers Hamish and Simon Guild of Canterbury’s High Peak Station say it is “an incredible honour” to have been named as the 2024 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.
Hamish Guild (right) listening to James Guild MNZM speaking at High Peak’s BFEA open day.
They accepted it, “on behalf of the generations that have gone before us, and, in particular, our parents James and Anna, who have put over 50 years into developing High Peak Station,” says High Peak Station manager Hamish Guild.
It “was fantastic” for them that their parents were there on the night to accompany the brothers up on to the stage to receive the accolade, he says.
Their acceptance of the award was also in “recognition of every other farmer doing their best for sustainability, especially the other nine Ballance Farm Environment Award (BFEA) finalists, who represent a very diverse group in many ways, all of whom represent their regions and sectors with excellence.”
Having already won the Canterbury regional supreme champion award in this year’s Ballance Farm Environment Awards in March, the Guilds were subjected to further scrutiny for the top national title.
The national judges said the Guilds showed a combination of an exemplary farming operation (from a financial, social and environmental perspective) and the ability to give well-informed responses and views on a range of pan-sector topics, including particular awareness of global markets and how products are seen offshore.
The 3,760-hectare farm runs 3,500 deer, mainly for venison, along with producing four tonnes of velvet, plus 1,000 weaners for finishing each year, alongside honey, tourism and sheep and beef. Around 220 attended the BFEA field day at High Peak, which has just been profiled in Deer Industry News.
Over the next 12 months, the Guilds will represent primary producers at a number of events around the country, “doing our best in the role of ambassadors,” and will also embark on an overseas study tour, says Guild.
