High Country Accord chairman Ben Todhunter said the decision in favour of continued grazing by members of the Soldiers Syndicate near Ranfurly, signalled the Crown could not abuse the legal process to achieve its goals.
"Basically, you have a Government determined to convert tussock grasslands that have been grazed by farmers for generations into high country parks and reserves.
"Because the Government hasn't been able to achieve this on the scale it wants through good faith bargaining, ministers and the agencies that report to them have been abusing legal processes."
Syndicate spokesman Philip Smith said members were "happy and relieved".
The decision meant they could continue grazing the land as they have for 90 years, but licence conditions were still to be finalised.
Syndicate members use the block to graze sheep over the summer, and while the decision would help secure their future financially, Mr Smith said it was as much about history and culture.
Servicemen returning from World War 1 who settled on farms in the Maniototo went into a ballot to get access to blocks, which their descendants continued to manage.
He said the court case and associated uncertainty had been stressful and expensive: "At the end of the day, we have not got anymore than what we had."
Neither Linz nor Doc were prepared to comment on the case.
High country farmers are battling two more cases, one on the methodology of setting rents for pastoral leases and a challenge from Fish and Game New Zealand over access to pastoral lease land.
