Sep 27, 2024
Deer Industry NZ was saddened to hear of the passing of James Guild earlier this month. Some deer industry veterans were asked to say a few words on James as they reflected on his impact on the deer industry.
Tony Pearse – Former DINZ Producer Manager
James Guild
James Guild’s warm and memorable farewell service at High Peak Station captured his life, family focus and vision, contribution to the deer industry and association with Canterbury high country deer farming excellence in a deserving tribute that added a further dimension to his remarkable life and legacy.
My initial contact with James was as a neophyte producer manager and my early involvement in the NZ Deer Farmers Association (NZDFA) at the provincial level. James and the Canterbury Branch were an active and innovative group. As James embraced various DFA leadership roles within the organisation, that served as a valuable model of structure and activity for other local DFA branches as they evolved. During the early 1990’s, he was an influential mentor and a highly regarded regional and national NZDFA leader, and in time the Chairman of the Executive Committee.
His inquisitive nature and drive to apply any knowledge gained – from deer nutrition for velvet production to genetic merit to animal welfare – was soon extended from High Peak into the wider deer industry and DFA focus.
In 1993 it was decided that New Zealand, via the Canterbury DFA, would host the inaugural International Deer Farming Congress, and James took up the mantle, along with the rest of the Canterbury DFA. It was an outstanding event in terms of international connections, as well as the diversity and quality of the various participating countries, and allowed an international audience to share in the young history of the NZ deer industry and its innovation. The event featured insights into helicopter live captures and showcased New Zealand deer farming at its very finest. The excursion to High Peak and Quartz Hill stations remains a cherished memory for many who attended.
In the years since, the experiences generously shared by James and family with the many VIPs and international guests have benefited the NZ deer industry through painting a picture of farming excellence, the power of a long-term vision and the importance of our industry’s international relationships.
The New Zealand deer industry has been well served by the passion, knowledge and leadership of James Guild and the wider family.
His loss leaves a formidable legacy that endures in great hands, as seen by the recent award of the prestigious 2024 Ballance Farm Environment Awards national Gordon Stevenson trophy.
Bill Taylor – Former NZDFA Chair, Southland Branch Chair
I remember James Guild as an honest, fair and strongly principled farm leader who made a difference to the deer industry, conservation estate and farming generally.
Over the years, I worked with and alongside James on many varied issues – Venison New Zealand, the Cervena trust, Provelco, and the establishment of the Game Animal Council, to name just a few.
James’s belief that farmers were best suited to controlling their own destiny was always present in whatever he was involved with, Provelco being the best example of this. His dogged belief in, and the support he gave the co-op led to many meetings with farmers throughout the country, which gained him immense respect from velvet producers.
I have always admired farmer representatives who have genuine skin in the game. James was one of those, and High Peak Station today is a tribute to his and Anna’s vision, as well as his hands-on farming skills.
Bob Kingscote – Former NZDFA Canterbury Branch Chair, Selection and Appointment Panel Chair
James Guild was an unsung hero of the NZ deer industry, in my opinion, taking on responsibility at a time when a leader was needed [upon the untimely death of Ian Spiers in 1988].
I was a bit younger than James, but my old man, Jum Kingscote, along with Don Robertson, attended a few of the first Canterbury DFA branch meetings. In those meetings, James was chair, and Dad came away with the opinion that James was “the best chairman he had ever been in a meeting with.” And for my old man to say that, with all the boards he had sat on, that was pretty extraordinary.
The other memory I have of James was from the Masterton deer industry conference. At that point, some in the NZDFA were a bit niggly with the current industry structure and the Game Industry Board (GIB). We were all a bit concerned that nothing seemed to be working. So out of that, people like James, and Tom Williams, and Peter Elworthy and Tim Wallis led the change in structure, which ended up resulting in what we know today as Deer Industry New Zealand.
Rhys Griffiths – DINZ CEO
I first met James just over 17 years ago, when he was Chairman of Provelco’s predecessor, Velexco. I had started at Deer Industry New Zealand as Velvet Marketing Services Manager, with an average price that season of just $58/kg. The industry wasn’t in great shape, and it was awesome to hear of James’s vision around the orderly marketing of NZ velvet, in a way that could really add value to the NZ producer. To me, it was always that James put the industry first.
In June this year, at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Luxon for Premier Li’s visit, the industry signed an MOU with Beijing Tongrentang (TRT). Beijing TRT is the world’s largest traditional medicine company (there are even retail shops here in NZ). The MOU is a first in China, with this well-respected company promoting the provenence of NZ velvet.
I believe this will transform the market for contemporary health foods (containing NZ velvet) in China, as it has done in Korea. It was only a matter of time for this to happen. TRT’s international manager, David Lui, fell in love with NZ deer farming on his first ever visit to a NZ deer farm seven or eight years ago, and his meeting of the farmer, James Guild.
James’s legacy, particularly for the velvet sector, will continue to reward this industry for many years to come.
Paddy Boyd – DINZ Board Chair
I knew James for over 40 years, going right back to the live capture days. James (Innes) and I would often stop in at High Peak in those early days for the industry, and so our conversations were mostly about how to farm deer in the best way possible.
James was hugely curious and was always looking to learn how to better farm at the highest level. He cared deeply about the deer industry. Even in the last stages of his life, he would still call me up to talk about the industry, its future in changing times, and the need to move along with them.
He was a pioneer, a leader, and was just so passionate about deer and farming. A really genuine guy. He will be missed.
Colin Guild, James’s brother, owner of Quartz Hill Station, and former Canterbury DFA Branch Chair
In 1978, with the encouragement of people like Tim Wallis and Mark Acland, and the unwavering support of our father, we got into deer.
We had the best deer in the country here, the Rakaia herd. James took to deer like a duck to water.
The deer industry was made for James, and James was made for the deer industry.
