Horizons / Beef, Sheep
Alan & Kerri Blake
Triple Farms
4 Feb 2026
Triple Farms has become a highly profitable sheep and beef finishing system thanks to efficiency, superior stockmanship, precise soil management and continuous improvement.
Owners Alan and Kerri Blake purchased Triple Farms in 2023, a 790ha property that is comprised of two separate blocks with distinctive roles. Their 276ha effective Ongarue block houses the sheep stud and maternal ewes, while the steeper, 450ha effective Waimiha block is used for finishing.
Across the two, they run a traditional breeding and finishing operation that has a strong focus on biosecurity – deriving 60% of income from sheep and the balance from cattle. Ongarue also features a large block of native bush protected by a QEII Trust covenant.
The judges praised the couple’s great stockmanship, demonstrated by their ability to feed and manage livestock in a way that is maximising performance.
The judges were also impressed by the grazing system and thorough monitoring programme that ensures top-quality pasture and excellent stock health.
The Blakes’ commitment to continuous improvement shines through their focus on sheep genetics. They have successfully developed their own stud which is guided by a goal of reducing inputs while maximising outputs.
Alan and Kerri proactively engage with external experts on soil fertility and their farming system, with this advice guiding daily decisions and annual goal reviews.
The judges praised the strong focus on soil fertility, supported by a regular soil-testing programme and variable rate fertiliser spreading. This precision approach improves efficiency and is building consistent fertility across the challenging hill country.
The farm’s infrastructure is rapidly evolving, including stock water reticulation being expanded from two to 18 troughs – a move that will significantly benefit waterways and stock health.
From its conservation measures to the adoption of new technology for better on-farm monitoring, Triple Farms is a model of modern, sustainable hill country farming, driven by genetic excellence and data-led decisions.
