History of the Cheviot in New Zealand
The first Cheviots imported from Scotland arrived in New Zealand in 1845 but it wasn’t until later in the century that any significant quantity was imported. Matthew Holmes, a large landowner in Otago, had by 1899 a large flock of 2000 registered ewes and 30,000 crossbred Cheviots. He had earlier experimented with Merinos at Lake Manapouri but found the Cheviot to be more vigorous, hardier and better suited to the conditions.
In 1938 Geoffrey Peren, principal of Massey Agricultural College, recognised the potential of Cheviots and obtained four rams from local breeders. He made the profound statement to his staff “There is a place in the farming economy of New Zealand for an infusion of this blood into the flocks on our marginal hill country, see what you can do.”
The results of the Massey trials were spectacular and the demand for the breed rapidly increased, so too did interest from Australia where the demand for New Zealand Cheviots far exceeded the supply. The rapid increase in the number of breeders caused concern among some of the longer established breeders who noticed quality falling rapidly as eager breeders sacrificed quality for quantity. The end result of their concerns was the formation, in 1948, of the Cheviot Society which established regulations, among which was to have new flocks inspected for quality by experienced breeders.
The trials at Massey resulted in the forming of a new breed which suited the hill country and in 1960 the Perendale Society was established to govern this breed. The introduction of the Perendale gave the Cheviot breed the recognition it deserved as a hardy and fertile sire of hill country sheep. Further trials were conducted with success under severe conditions at Whatawhata during the 1970s and the Massey leaders were moved to state that, “As a prime lamb sire on second class hills the Cheviot is unsurpassed.”
From the mid 1990s there has been a resurgence in popularity for the breed particularly as a hogget sire where farmers have received at least 20% more lambs than any other breed tried. The potential of the Cheviot as a hogget sire has yet to be fulfilled.