International delegates celebrate a New Zealand ic

28 March 2007 Media Release

International delegates celebrate a New Zealand icon

Delegates from a dozen different countries begin a once in five years World Corriedale Congress tomorrow (Thursday) in Christchurch.

New Zealand Corriedale Council president, Gordon Gilbert, says the three-day Congress is, in part, a celebration of the New Zealand-developed breed.

Pioneer farmers first mated Spanish Merino sheep and English-bred Lincolns at Corriedale Station in North Otago in the late 1860s. The Corriedale’s capacity to handle dry summer conditions saw numbers rapidly expand and it was soon being exported, notably to South America. Uruguay alone now has 8 million Corriedales, compared to a 2.8m New Zealand flock.

“Given our breed’s origins, it is good to see more than half our delegates are from Spanish-speaking countries such as Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.”

Mr Gilbert will outline to the Congress how New Zealand studs have rebranded the breed as Corriedale 2.0.

“This is the culmination of more than a century and a quarter of constant research and refinement which have ensured Corriedales remain very competitive as a dual purpose sheep, with fine quality wool and meat.”

British food marketing expert, Professor David Hughes from Imperial College London is among keynote speakers, addressing delegates on trends in international meat consumption. South American speakers will outline advances in sheep genetics, mid-micron wool and breeding commercial stock.

A fashion show on Friday night will celebrate the role of New Zealand wool in the fashion and apparel industry.

ENDS

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