"IT's our clients, people and their herds that we've gotten to know over the years that we'll miss; that is the hardest part."
With these words, Vermont Angus co-principal Kylie Winnell sums up her feelings ahead of the stud's final sale later this month.
The prominent Western District stud, run by Kylie and her husband Graham, will host its final bull sale and dispersal after almost a decade at the top of the breed.
Vermont will offer 110 bulls at a sale on March 18, before the entire cow herd is dispersed over two days on March 22-23.
"There has been strong demand from across the country, and New Zealand too," Kylie said.
The stud, at Penshurst, south of Hamilton, started in an unusual way. "We had a few specific donor cows, not two or three hundred stud cows," Mr Winnell said.
"We were selling 70-80 bulls from the Riverina and wanted to upgrade the program."
The stud and property - both of which are for sale - are owned by Gordon Paterson, who also owns Hell's Gate feedlot in the western Riverina.
Graham said the stud had always had a focus on structure, temperament and fertility.
"We've always aimed for balance and market versatility; you don't want to ever be locked into one market," he said.
He said this year's bulls offered an increasingly muscular selection, while retaining softness, weight gain and strong maternal genetics.
Once Vermont has finished, the Winnells plan to remain in the beef industry. But exactly what form that takes is yet to be determined. "A break will be in order," Graham said.
