Taratahi signs Tautane partnership

Taratahi Agricultural Training Farm and Ngati Kahungunu have signed a farming partnership that will open the way for hundreds of students to gain experience on a large East Coast station.

They signed an agreement for Taratahi to lease the 3680ha Tautane Station, near Herbertville, in Hawke's Bay, a sheep and beef property that usually carries about 30,000 head of stock.

Although the terms of the commercial arrangement are confidential, Taratahi chief executive Donovan Wearing described the set-up as being a "long-term partnership".

Taratahi students, who come from all parts of the country, have had access to 2500ha before the agreement but the addition of Tautane Station will more than double the land available.

It comes about three years after the expiry of a lease held on Glenburn Station on the Wairarapa coast.

Tautane will be fully incorporated into Taratahi's training roster by next year but Mr Wearing said students had already been on the Hawke's Bay property shearing and dagging sheep.

He said the new partnership continued the spirit of Taratahi, which started in 1919 when landowner Sir William Perry bequeathed his Carterton farm for training purposes.

"It's a monumental milestone in Taratahi's history."

Mr Wearing said Taratahi's reputation had been built on the philosophy of "real training on real farms" and it made good sense to partner with organisations that held similar views and beliefs.

In a round-up of Wairarapa's dry summer, Mr Wearing said the three Wairarapa sheep and beef farms had been impacted with on-farm options for finishing prime lambs being "significantly limited".

"Overall we were pleased with ewe body weight and condition," he said.

"The key focus was to ensure ewes were in good condition going to the ram in April and, as such, ewe body condition was closely monitored."