Match made in Merino heaven
Waihopai Downs’ Tom and Emma O’Sullivan share their passion for super-fine Merinos, kicking career goals together as they build towards their own stud at Emma’s family property, which they lease in the high country of west Marlborough. Words Joanna Grigg.
Tom O’Sullivan was brought up on a half-bred property in the ‘wetter belt’ of north Marlborough. He went on to be 2IC on a composite sheep property in North Waikato, running 45,000 stock units. In between he got a taste for Merino wool and he’s now married to someone keen on Saxon Merinos. So, Merino it is.
Tom’s first job out of school was at The Hossock. He worked two seasons with Willie and Sue Macdonald at Middlehurst Station, which got him interested in Merino. He has since joined forces with wife Emma, to lease her family property Waihopai Downs, 3500 hectares of steep hill and high country in west Marlborough. Here they run 1600 ewes, 700 two-tooths and 1100 mixed-age wethers. The flock is based on the MacKenzie family Saxon genetics and has an average micron of 15.8.
In July 2024, Tom was the recipient of the Marlborough Merino Association scholarship to travel to commercial and stud properties in Tasmania. A highlight for Tom was visiting one of the largest Saxon-influenced flocks in Tasmania, Miena.
The 12,000 head of stock had very similar wool to Tom and Emma’s flock. It was run by a young farmer that had just taken over from his grandfather, with the aim of creating a stud. It was part of the Australian Wool Excellence Group.
“I was a bit surprised to see that some Merino properties I visited were still mulesing and were happy to forgo wool contracts to do it. Not a lot of growers sell on a contract, mainly on auction.” – Tom O’Sullivan, following his Marlborough Merino Association scholarship to travel to Tasmania
“I was a bit surprised to see that some Merino properties I visited were still mulesing and were happy to forgo wool contracts to do it. Not a lot of growers sell on a contract, mainly on auction,” Tom shares. Other differences were that farm systems were based on less frequent shifts and had low staff to sheep ratios. “Camelfield had two full time staff for nine thousand head, including stud sheep.”
Emma was brought up at Waihopai Downs and, like Tom, is captivated by super-fine Merino wool.
She has only missed one shearing, being a shedhand or trainee classer since she was 10 years old. Emma has had her owner-classer ticket for 11 years. In 2022 she completed her Certificate in Wool Classing and Technology and in 2024 started a role as wool tutor with the Southern Institute of Technology. This fits really well with her Bachelor of Education.
“My two greatest passions in life are wool and teaching, so I combine them both.”
She credits wool buyer Bob Butt and her father for being great mentors. When she has time, between caring for three children, she also classes other clips. Tom and Emma have recently purchased 70 stud Saxon ewes from Angela Scott, Pendalla. The idea is to start selling stud rams themselves. Saxons are smaller frame sheep and are not put to the ram as two-tooths at Waihopai Downs. They are grown out another year and run with the mixed-sex hoggets, Tom says.
“On Waihopai Downs they are slower maturing, but you should get another year at the other end,” Emma says.
Grazing sheep on 300ha of vineyards over winter has been a game changer. They also graze 500 wethers on a lease block in the Marlborough Sounds. All ewes are blade shorn in September and the wool is destined for a luxury brand.
