The 28-year-old, who recently won the Southern South Island Beef + Lamb New Zealand young farmer development scholarship, was the third generation of his family to run the 230ha sheep and beef farm in Morton Mains, returning home in 2022.
After managing the farm for two years, he began leasing it and bought the livestock and plant last month.
Farming had always been the dream.
"I’ve never thought of doing anything else. For as long as I can remember I was going to go farming and come back here," he said.
He lived on the farm with his partner Chantelle Thurlow and their 1-year-old daughter Penelope.
He runs about 1600 ewes and 400 hoggets and trades about 1000 lambs.
He buys about 150 light angus or angus cross cattle in autumn and spring to finish to send to Anzco Foods’ Five Star Beef feedlot in Canterbury in April, as there was more of a margin in it than doing fat stock, he said.
He reduced livestock numbers in summer to buy 650 cull ewes to fatten.
He enjoyed trading livestock because chasing a market and making a margin was more exciting than fattening your own livestock and he enjoyed the challenge.
The farm was in the heart of dairy country and had reliable grass growth, allowing him to buy livestock in autumn to fatten.
In 2003, when Mr Ward was 7 his father David died.
His mother Paula Powell employed managers so her three children — including twin siblings Emma and Jason — had the option of farming it one day.
"That’s why I’m giving it a good crack because I’m grateful to her for keeping good managers on it to keep it ticking over," Mr Ward said.
The family moved to Dunedin in 2007. After leaving Otago Boys’ High School, Mr Ward worked as a general farmhand for his uncle and aunt, Graham and Vicki Ward, for 18 months on their sheep and beef property next to the family farm.
Before returning home, he worked on sheep and beef properties in Central Otago for about eight years, including Glenspec, near Naseby, West Wanaka Station and Mt Aspiring Station.
Outside of work and family time, Mr Ward captains the Edendale senior rugby team.
The long-term goal was farm ownership including running another property in conjunction with the family farm.
He was positive about the future for the sheep and beef industry despite its current state.
"You make the most of the good moments so you survive these bad moments and this is just another part of the cycle. I think it will have its time in the sunshine again," he said.
He plans to use his $5000 scholarship to complete a Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
He thanked everyone who helped him on his journey so far including his family, former employers and the Property Broker agents who nominated him for the scholarship.
"I’m grateful to all the people I’ve had in my corner," he said.
