Corriedale Congress attracts from far and wide

17 January 2007

World Corriedale Congress attracts from far and wide

They are coming from South America and southern Australia but the numbers are not yet there from the South Island to attend the 13th World Corriedale Congress.

Congress chair Arthur Blakely says so far there have been 142 registrations for the Congress to be held at Lincoln in late March, most of them from overseas.

“We have the biggest international turn-out ever for this congress, held every four to five years. We want New Zealand farmers to match the strong numbers from countries including Uruguay, Chile, Australia and the United States.”

The Corriedale conference features international speakers including former European Union Agriculture Commissioner, Franz Fischler and Argentinean, Alberto Paz, who is a large-scale breeder of both Corriedales and Merinos. He will speak on mid micron wool marketing from a farmer’s perspective.

Mr Blakely says New Zealand sheep breeders and farmers should take advantage of a subsidised fee which means ‘early bird Kiwis’ can pay as little as $50 to attend a particular day of the Congress, which runs on Thursday March 29 and Friday March 30.

“They will get the chance to hear some of the world’s leading experts on critical industry issues such as meat marketing, how the European Union works and trends in meat consumption.”

Registration for the congress is available on-line @ www.corriedale13.org.nz

Mr Blakely is also encouraging local farmers to join selected parts of a five-day tour of top South Island studs and farms prior to the Congress – provided they use their own vehicles.

“This is proving extraordinarily popular with our foreign guests. We now have three full tour buses carrying nearly 150 people to see the best that New Zealand farming has to offer.”

The over-subscribed bus tour features visits to studs in Canterbury and Otago. Mr Blakely says the tour also reflects the wider interests of Congress attendees, particularly those from South America, by extending to include deer and cattle stud farms.

The congress will be opened by Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton on Thursday March 29.

Photo caption: Corriedale Amigos: Two top Corriedale breeders from Uruguay who played leading roles in the last World Congress are confirmed for Lincoln among a contingent of more than 50 from that country. Gerado Pintos Garcia, left, who chaired the 2003 Congress is pictured with Ashburton breeder Diane Rawlinson and Luis Carrau, Uruguay Corriedale President at the 2003 Congress.

ENDS

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