Except this year's efforts highlight the end of a 12 month court battle and many years of uncertainty for the group known as the Soldiers Syndicate.
Spokesman Philip Smith drove 2700 ewes to the syndicate's leased 4400 hectare block on Mt Buster yesterday and David McAtamney did the same with his mob of 1000.
Third syndicate member Jock Stock was to take up his sheep in the next couple of weeks.
This grazing was put under threat when the Crown refused to re-new the group's grazing lease.
The land was set to become a conservation park instead.
In November, the High Court ruled Land Information New Zealand had reneged on an agreement to allow the farmers to lease the land.
The ruling allowed continued grazing subject to monitoring impact on the land.
Without the option of summer grazing in the high country, both farmers believed they would lose about one-third of their stock as they would not be able to sustain them on the low country during the dry summer months.
Using the land in summer allowed the farmers some relief, Mr Smith said.
The Maniototo high country had been used for grazing for about 90 years.
"The connection with down country and highland has always been there. We have saved a major part of Maniototo history," Mr Smith said.
Mr McAtamney agreed, saying their ability to stock the high country was "the right thing".
