COUNTRY CALENDAR: GLEN TANNER STATION

Glen Tanner Station borders on the Mt Cook Park area. It was here 26 years ago the [Ian and Pat Ivy] took on the challenge of running the 18,000 hectare property. His 26 year old son Ross was born and raised on the station and recently took over the running of the farm from his father and is keen to diversify the running of the farm. All shearing is done with blades on Glen Tanner because the blades leave more wool on the sheep than shears do. Don Hammond is the shearer that most young shearers in the gang want to beat. He can shear through 200 a day,with his top tally being 240, an art he has learned over 30 years.
Cabins at Glen Tanner Park can house up to 126 tourists, but during the summer at least another 100 are turned away daily. There are plans to build more cabins and staff quarters in the future. With building becoming a major task Glen Tanner now boasts a saw mill and a joinery shed where a full time carpenter and 4-5 builders are employed for much of the year. Equipment to make concrete blocks has also been added thus making operations almost self sufficient.
Horse trekking has been added to the trail bike and four-wheel drive activities. Also those tourists seeking the snow fields are also catered for by Ian and his heli-skiing operation, one of the first registered in New Zealand.