Averaging 85,000kms per year is all part of the job for Murchison farmer and stock agent Alf Kinzett. For over 25 years Alf has covered the top of the south island building a huge reputation and client base as a buyer and seller of a beef, sheep, deer and dairy cows, from Bainham to Golden Bay to Fox Glacier.
He farms 300 acres, managing a stud sheep operation since 1978 with Romney and Suffolk breeds, and keeps deer for the trophy as well as the velvet market. His wife runs a B&B on the property, which he describes as 'flatout' at this time of the year, creating a busy and interesting lifestlye for the Kinzett family.
As a works buyer for Waitaki in Nelson for 16 years, and then Riverton in Blenheim for 6 years, and now currently an independent stock agent means Alf has an extensive list of clients covering the top of the south island.
"It's a way of life basically," Alf explained, "you have to be, and I've always been, aggressive, competitive, you want to get all the stock you can so when somebody rings you, you get in the car and go and buy it."
"The thing in my business is you build up a lot of contacts over the years and that's what makes you successful. There's nothing I can't buy really that I haven't got a market for, and that takes a long time to build up."
During the last four years, particularly the last one, Alf's business has seen a 600% increase in turnover which the banks and accountants can't believe. "We've never had a year like it to be honest, we've just sold 5 dairy herds in the past 6 weeks for June delivery, which is incredible really."
Stock prices have had a lot to do with the increase in turnover, but also his client base has gone up and he's employing a new cadet buyer on the 10th December to help. He also acknowledged the work of Golden Bay buyer Brent Page who has worked with Alf since day one. "He's got three diary farms, he's only forty, a real go ahead bloke, and a real good diary farmer."
Sheep stock numbers are dropping and with big demand for lambs again Alf says there could be a shortage, "but with the beef, there's been a lot more calves reared and that'll push the numbers up in the next few years."
