Sixth-generation sheep and beef farmer establishes vet clinic in Gisborne

Hollie Reid, clinic administrator (left) Alex Meban, veterinarian, Tessa Meban, veterinarian, and Claudia Humphreys, practice manager.

Alex Meban, a sixth-generation sheep and beef farmer raised at Te Hau Station, returned to Gisborne with his wife Tessa and young family and established Gisborne Country Veterinary Services in March 2023.

The couple, along with 2-year-old Finn and 4-month-old Jack, have settled well in Gisborne.

“It’s just a lovely community with great people. I think after the cyclone, it’s even more so,” Alex said.

“Tessa can make friends with other young mums - we’re feeling very fortunate.”

Te Hau Station near Whatatutu is about 40 minutes northwest of Gisborne.

“Sheep and beef farming is in the blood,” Meban said.

He left the farm to attend boarding school in Hamilton and went on to study veterinary science at Massey University.

This is where Meban met Tessa, a vet for small animals.

Tessa is on maternity leave, so currently the focus at the clinic is on large animals, such as sheep, beef, horses and deer.

Meban said moving into small animal work could be on the cards at a later date when the children are older.

He said having a background in sheep and beef certainly was an advantage for him at university.

“I was very fortunate I went through vet school with a bit of a heads-up on the competition, already having stock sense and the ability to hop in the yards and handle stock innately rather than having to fundamentally learn about the animals.”

When asked if he knew all there was to know about sheep and beef, he said, “I’ve been given a lot of advice from my father over the years, but it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek now, as he realises that his experience is a couple of generations old by now.”

Alex with a young stallion.

The science of farming has changed significantly over the generations.

After graduating in 2015 and 2016 respectively, the couple worked in Gisborne for a few years before heading down south.

They spent three years in the Mackenzie Country and married.

However, after the birth of their son Finn in 2022, they decided they wanted to move back to the place they loved to raise their family and saw an opportunity to establish a veterinary service in Gisborne.

They started trading as Gisborne Country Veterinary Services in March 2023.

They employ a couple of support staff and will be joined by Scott, another vet, in October.

Alex scanning cows at Fernside Station.

Establishing the business certainly had its challenges, especially given the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

However, they helped with cleaning up and touched base with prospective customers.

“We are very lucky to have loyal customers. What we’ve achieved wouldn’t be possible without their support.”

The clinic services clients from Wairoa to past the East Cape, a huge area for Alex to cover, yet he enjoys the personal interaction and problem-solving.

“I quite like approaching the vet side of things from a business angle,” he said.

“I’m conscious of the advice I give being practical.”

If a client has a problem, they can ring the vet and speak to him directly.

Alex said he’d like the business to grow steadily but still maintain its point of difference.

“We pride ourselves on our turnaround time because we’re small and agile,” he said.

“I want to make sure we don’t get too big and [fail to] provide that level of service.”