New Zealand Red Devon Cattle Breeders Association.

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New Zealand Red Devon Cattle Breeders Association.

Breeding genetically pure Red Devon cattle for New Zealand.

16/07/2026

**Nynehead Candidate**

Birthdate 21/02/1968
Sire: President of Nynehead
Dam: Nynehead Countess 12th

Nynehead Candidate was a 1968 born bull and by the time his semen straws had reached the shores of New Zealand and Australia in the mid 70's his progeny had already created a favourable reputation.

He was a renowned carcase sire and his bulls, steers and heifers had won many prizes in major competitions.
He was a sire that left great toplines with plenty of eye muscle and hindquarter depth, he sometimes threw a bit of extra white but this was regarded as a sign of good milking capacity in his daughters.
He left his mark at the time, but his descendants have also continued his legacy.

Brightley Diamond 6th was a son also used in New Zealand and Vix Jurasic is also a direct male descendant.
Interestingly Champson Defender, Ashott Barton Millennium-Falcon and Tilbrook Sunset all have a cross of Candidate in their pedigrees - and all these bulls other than Brightley Diamond have appeared on much earlier postings on the Association's page.
On a parallel link both Nynehead Candidate and Fairnington Baron were direct male descendants of Peverstone Darius a bull born in 1945.

A look on the New Zealand Association Website registry shows Candidate had 24 known registered progeny.
The picture of Candidate is from the New Zealand Association's advert used in the 80's.

(Thank you to the Wickton Stud, NZ for all the information supplied for Nynehead Candidate)

16/06/2026

Best of Breed - 1963

Uggaton Highwayman 2nd
Pinkhill Dairymaid

From Plough to Foraging and Flourishing on rough pasture to the Butcher - hardiness, tenacity and docility some of the contributing attributes of the Red Devon's ability to grow on natural food in a short space of time.

30/05/2026

The Annual New Zealand Red Devon Association's AGM was held on Saturday 23rd May at the Ellesmere Stud, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury.

Kindly hosted by the Holdstock Family.

Start off was at 10.30am with tea and biscuits, then followed the meeting at 11am with Zoom available for participating members that were unable to travel.

After the meeting a delicious Pasty lunch was served for everyone - really do feel the need to mention here - that the locally produced Red Devon Beef supplied for the Pasties was from Tamar Farm, Mt Somers, Mid Canterbury, purchased from Ellesmere Butchery, Leeston, Canterbury. This butchery exclusively sells Red Devon Beef from Tamar Farm.

After lunch there was a wander around the farm to view the Red Devons that reside there, which proved to be an amazingly sunny and warm day.

The enjoyable day was wound up later in the afternoon with tea, scones, cake and a locally produced cheese board selection.

Thank you to the Wickton Stud and Ellesmere Stud for supplying the photo's for this post.

09/04/2026

Farming The Doone Valley, Exmoor in the 1960's.

Have borrowed this article from:
Lyn Valley History which was posted on 21 January 2026 copied from an original article from:
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News dated 24th April 1963.

Cloud Farm and Mr Bob Nancekivell.

In this article it goes onto mention his methods of using a Galloway Sire over his Red Devon cows and thereafter for the next two generations the progeny are then sired by Red Devon bulls.
It appears that this trialling was started to help the cattle withstand the cruel conditions so regularly experienced that Exmoor would deliver.

27/03/2026

Looked a very good Annual Show and Sale at Sedgemoor recently for the Devon Cattle Breeders Society members 😀

21/01/2026

How to become a member of the New Zealand Red Devon Cattle Breeders Association
and why?

What is available for a Full Breeders membership and what does it involve?
(A Full Breeder Member is someone who is actively breeding and registering stock)
What is available?

1/ Access to a page on the Association's website to promote your herd/stud
2/ The use of the registrations page on the website for data submissions ie registering of calves, performance recording of 200, 400, 600 day weights and much more
3/ To freely advertise in the stock For Sale and Wanted page
4/ A Semen Straw for sale page
5/ A Newsletter every two months to keep up to date with the Association news.
6/ Enrolment into the Bulldust Magazine, an Australian six monthly publication that links Red Devon breeders/enthusiasts from all over the world
7/ Occasional informal Stud visits throughout the year

You can hold both registered and commercial cattle and maintain records for both classes and performance record them.

Why register my Red Devon you may ask - this helps to protect one of the World's oldest breeds while providing valuable genetic information and advantages along with the preservation of this breeds characteristics.

Cost annually: $160+gst, renewal date 30th April each year

Or the second option would be:

To become an Associate Member where you will receive:
1/ A Newsletter every two months to keep up to date with the Association news
2/ Access to advertise in the For Sale and Wanted stock page with a minimal cost of $20+gst per ad
3/ Access to the Semen Straw For Sale page

Cost annually: $60+gst, renewal date 30th April each year

To find the Membership forms go to:
www.reddevoncattle.co.nz
On this Website go to the MEMBERS SECTION and hover over this, then drop down to ASSOCIATION where FORMS on the leftside will show up, click on FORMS where you will then find the Membership Application in bold red, click on this.
This is a two page form and once completed to be forwarded to the Secretary as stated on the form.
Your application will then be put forward to the Association Council.

Thank you for supporting the Red Devon breed 😀

28/11/2025

***Gowan Ross Gentleman G82 (P)***
Birthdate 26/7/2011

Sire: Vix Dodge D37 (P)
Dam: Gowan Ross Gentle 269 (P)

An Australian bred bull by Vic Edwards and Alison Heap of Coonabarabran, NSW.
Photo is of Gentleman at 3yrs old.

Gentleman is a combination of genetic lines from across Australia.
Darling Hill & Naul Park lines come from Western Australia, Candlewood herd was Dr Barry Connard's from Victoria, as was Carngham. From Tasmania, Roseneath, Mona Vale, Lewisham & Longacres.
Rangeview Park is the breeding of Roger Dickenson in South Australia. From NSW, pioneering herds of Havilah, Wombramurra, The Hill, Belar, Glen William. These were all leading Devon seedstock herds of significant size. Some like Havilah, Wombramurra & Mona Vale were major importers of genetics for 100 years, but since dispersed or closed.
Others were poll herds whose breeders contributed significantly to the establishment of poll Devons in Australia.
Gentleman's pedigree contains some of the best lines bred from these herds.

Breedplan EBV's rank Gentleman an easy calving sire with growth performance in the top 10% of Devon breed and top 5% for intramuscular fat (marbling)

Gentleman is breeding some very sound progeny in New Zealand and USA herds.
His progeny are well fleshed, having good body depth and width throughout as well as being complete outcross genetics.

On the New Zealand registry he has 23 known progeny.

Semen straws for Gentleman are available within the Buy Semen section under the Trade Tab of the NZ Red Devon Association's Website, here will also be found the Breeder's contact details and pricing.

(Thank you to Vic Edwards and Alison Heap for generously supplying all the information and photos.
Also, a thank you to the Rockview Stud and Waimouri Stud for their photos)

Address

The New Zealand Red Devon Cattle Breeders Association PBB PO Box 503
Feilding
4740

Telephone

+6463234484

Website

https://reddevoncattle.co.nz/

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