Forrester Auction - 12th December 2025

Welcome to the 2025 Forrester Sire Sale

Farming in New Zealand is a funny old game, isn’t it? It’s a bit like riding a never-ending roller coaster – plenty of ups and downs and the odd moment you’re hanging upside down. Over the last year we’ve seen some fantastic highs with beef, lamb and dairy – even venison – but the velvet sector is in a real state, as you are all well aware.

I’m not going to harp on about the velvet situation as this is a venison genetics sale, but it’s worth saying that the stags on offer this year do carry some exceptional velvet that would slip into the January sale with ease. I love my Forrester’s with a passion, and if they have the right traits and phenotype, they’ll remain in this sale.

In my opinion, the venison industry is in a very exciting place. We’re seeing great returns now for this exceptional protein and I believe this is just the beginning. Real traction is happening in our markets, especially in the USA. Yes, our core markets are still vital, but what really excites me is the prospect of year-round, flatter schedule prices that the North American market will help create. That allows us to finish yearlings later, get full potential from the genetics, and even get more for our less premium animals.

This brings me to my next point… Now, more than ever, it’s important that we breed the right type of hind for our venison herds. They are the ‘engine room’ of our venison production. Having a breeding herd that enhances your finishing performance is paramount. These Forrester sires are bred to leave hinds that conceive early, rear vigorous fawns, stay sound on hill country and remain calm, fertile and resilient. They combine temperament, health traits (including Johne’s and parasite resistance), and strong early growth without blowing out mature size.

I am very happy with this year’s line-up. There is a great representation of sires in the mix and it’s great to see MAGNUM sons back in the fold, as well as some new blood from a pure Warnham stag named GLENROY. Other new sires include DOZER – producing some thumpers – and NEMESIS, who has a strong representation with some lovely animals.

One final point worth mentioning. With DEERSELECT VERSION 2 now in play, for those of you versed in W12eBV, I’m told that these numbers are lower than the previous version by around 2 kg. So what was +17 will now be +15 under the new system. Next year I’ll also be introducing indexes for maternal, growth and reproduction – much like a bull catalogue.

For those unable to attend the sale in person, we’re pleased to offer real-time online bidding via BIDR. More details are available in the catalogue.

Finally, we invite all potential buyers to view the stags prior to sale day. For private viewings, please don’t hesitate to contact me, Mark, on 027 779 9008.

We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s sale and thank you for your continued support of the Forrester programme.