Our Story

Lake Farm is an artisan Angus cattle breeder nestled on the banks of Lake Karapiro.

As a registered Angus cattle stud (Lake Farm Genetics), our mission has always been to breed exceptional animals known for their outstanding carcasses, high growth, and superior eating quality. We believe we are well on our way. We were proud to win the prestigious Beef + Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin competition twice and to have been finalists seven times over nine consecutive years. Although the competition no longer runs, this unique achievement remains a source of immense pride.

Perhaps our greatest thrill came in 2018, when Lake Farm were featured on New Zealand’s iconic Country Calendar TV program. The response was so overwhelming it temporarily crashed our website — even though we had warned our web host! The show’s producers told us they’d never seen such a reaction. It was a moment we’ll never forget.

It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we’re so grateful. But there’s still more to come.

For many years, we had our own beef animals processed and we sold our high end steaks and artisan pies direct to consumers, and shipped them throughout the country. We had a unique business model, and an unheard of google rating of 4.8. As we retire from the business, this rating still gives us immense pride. Now our aim is to sell as many animals as we can alive! The genetic pedigree of our young stock is amongst the best available in New Zealand. We will sell most of our males as weaner steers, or weaner and yearling bulls. Our females will be run with one of our top end bulls, and sold in calf, at 15 months of age. Perhaps, as we get older, one of the biggest drivers for us, is breeding animals with very high docility. Working with animals who enjoy our company, and the environment they live in, is very important to us - probably more than the rest of their genetic profile. We have a separate link to "Our Breeding Program" which goings into our breeding goals more fully.
Farming by Lake Karapiro brings unique challenges. We avoid fertilisers that could leach into the lake, using only lime to maintain soil pH. The lush pasture tells us we’re doing something right. Last year, a group of “curious cockies” visited our farm with spades and forks, digging into the soil and praising the healthy worm activity—a proud moment for us.
We have bred two exceptional bulls. One is genetically ranked #3 in all of New Zealand and the other is genetically in the top 2% of Angus bulls in Australasia. They are two of the most docile animals on the farm, yet still with outstanding genetics, Our plan is to use these guys exclusively, but we will still look to breed another "super bull" as a backup. So whilst we are slowing down—our passion to breed special animals and provide a nurtured environment for them is just as strong as it was 20 years ago. It has been a truly special journey. We feel very blessed and we thank you for being part of it.