NZ's best head for antler contest

Antlers on display at last year's Elk and Wapiti Society velvet and antler competition in Wanaka....
Antlers on display at last year's Elk and Wapiti Society velvet and antler competition in Wanaka. Photo supplied.
Some of the country's top velvet and antler heads will be on display at the Elk and Wapiti Society of New Zealand's velvet and antler competition in Wanaka this month.

The competition, which is open to all farmers, is being held at the Edgewater on January 31. It was hoped that entries would be similar to those last year, when there were 60 heads of velvet and hard antler, an organiser, Paul Waller, said.

Although the judging is not public, the event opens to the public at 5pm and entries may be viewed from 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

A dinner will be held, followed by a fashion show featuring merino garments from Mons Royale and Christina Perriam.

There will also be an auction to gain funds for research and it was hoped about $8000 to $10,000 would be raised, Mr Waller said.

Velvet prices had been ''creeping up'' and, with increased velvet weights on farms, were making the industry more profitable again, he said.

Tickets for the dinner could be obtained through the society's website, www.elkwapitisociety.co.nz.

Deer Industry New Zealand chairman Andy Macfarlane said high velvet prices had velvet producers ''smiling'' but venison schedules did not make pretty reading.

Although underlying demand in Europe was firm, with a satisfactory chilled sales season just completed, the impact of the euro's weakness demonstrated the industry's urgent need to diversify markets.

 

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