Exceptional stags on offer at Remarkables Park Stud auction

A two-year-old trophy stag billed as “a world class head” will be one of the stars of this year’s Remarkables Park Stud deer auction on Friday (January 14).

High profile Queenstown company Remarkables Park says “exceptional” 2011 results from its Red Deer Stud subsidiary will be available not only to buyers attending it’s annual Helmsman Stud Auction, but also to a wider audience for the first time online.

Former Game Industry Board Deputy Chairman and Remarkables Park Stud Director Alastair Porter said two-year-old stag Agon* had, at this velvet stage, antlers with at least 24-points.

“While our own stud stags have a reputation for being the heaviest line of two-year-olds in the country, 39 this year over 200kg and up to 254kg, what will amaze buyers is that we also have some of the biggest heads with great trophy potential as a result of new AI bloodlines introduced two years ago,” he said.

“We’ve widened our breeding programme to ensure we appeal to the widest cross-section of buyers. Our biggest stags with strong BV’s (breeding values) will appeal to those seeking superior performance terminal sires, with new English bloodlines crossed with our other European bloodlines to provide smaller dual purpose trophy and venison sires well suited to steeper high country properties.”

Fifty-six two and three-year-old stags will go to auction, and Mr Porter said the company’s IT auction development, in consultation with auctioneers PGG Wrightson, was likely to stimulate considerable interest from buyers.

“The online system means potential buyers can go online at www.remarkablestags.com now to see photos of each deer, access details about lineage and genetics, and can bid in real time, together with auction attendees, by following the auction online,” he said.

“We expect other studs will also be keen to use this innovative marketing approach to access more deer farmers in the future. The performance of the New Zealand deer industry would be significantly lifted if more farmers accessed the superior stags produced by the Stud breeding industry.”

Stud Manager Phil Dawson said he believed farmers would find the online system easy to use and the option would work well for North Island buyers in particular.

“Because we’re so distant from the majority of deer farmers, our stud deer sell at very reasonable prices, so in future years as people get used to the system I expect more Northern buyers will take advantage of being able to participate in our auction online, and benefit from free delivery in New Zealand,” he said.

*Agon means “Spirit of contest” and is of Greek mythological origin.

ENDS

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