Wind, lashing sleet for cattle muster test riders, livestock

The Mount Aspiring Station cattle musters have taken place over the past few weeks. Olivia Caldwell caught up with horse rider Cate Howie-Hughes who took photos of the work that took place.

Riders and shepherds have recently wrapped up the annual cattle musters at Mount Aspiring Station, a high-country farm nestled 50km from Wānaka near the edge of Mt Aspiring National Park.

Horse rider Cate Howie-Hughes, who joined the muster and documented it through her photography, said the conditions tested both riders and livestock.

Despite the wind and sleet, the rugged beauty of the station never failed to impress.

"Once tacked, sandwiches packed, and radios on, we turned to head into the wind and rain," she said.

"As we headed up the valley into the main divide to pick up the mob, the weather started to unleash a bit more on us, getting lashed with sleet coming off the tops."

The muster brought in 450 cattle for pregnancy testing. It was no small feat, involving three river crossings and seven hours in the saddle for the riders.

"It’s an incredible place to be able to ride, and we are so thankful to have that opportunity from the Aspinalls to help on these musters," Howie-Hughes said.

Mount Aspiring Station is owned by Randall and Allison Aspinall.

A team of shepherds and their dogs handle the initial push through the hills, before calling in experienced horse riders like Howie-Hughes to assist.

The Aspinalls have deep roots in the region. Randall is the fourth generation to farm the land, taking over in 2010 from his parents, John and Sue, who had run the station since 1977.

The station’s legacy goes even further back. Randall’s grandparents, Jerry and Phyllis Aspinall, surrendered 20,235ha to the Crown, helping pave the way for the creation of Mt Aspiring National Park in 1964.

Despite the challenging weather, the muster was another successful chapter in the ongoing story of a historic and hardworking South Island station.