Tim Wilson, a 21-year-old University of Canterbury student from Central Hawke’s Bay, has been passionately breeding Poll Dorset sheep for 13 years, starting at age 8 after being inspired by his family’s extensive farming background. Supported by his grandmother’s commercial Poll Dorset flock and his grandparents’ stud breeding expertise, Tim established his Mt Herbert stud at 13 and has steadily grown his flock to 80 stud ewes. His breeding philosophy emphasizes resilience, low maintenance, and commercial viability, with his sheep thriving under natural grass-fed conditions and developing strong health traits like resistance to fly strike and worms.

Balancing university studies in civil engineering with his farming commitments, Tim has matured through hands-on experience managing all aspects of his stud independently from a young age. He sells about 35 rams annually, primarily to commercial farms, and values raw performance data and client feedback over empirical indexes for breeding decisions. Motivated by family support and personal goals set since childhood, Tim aims to continue improving his flock and contribute significantly to New Zealand’s Poll Dorset breed, aspiring to win show accolades and hold on-farm ram auctions.