Bradley explains the traits of wool to lodge guests in the woolshed Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Getting paid to show off his farming skills to visitors is a rewarding part of Bradley Riggs' unusual farming job.
He also has some unusual situations to deal with.
"I had some guests walk out because they were too scared to see a sheep get shorn, thinking it's going to be screaming, and some of them think we have to skin the sheep.
"Most are quite shocked at how passive the sheep are."
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Demonstrating how to shear a sheep and use his dogs is all part of a day's work for Riggs, farm manager at Wharekauhau Country Estate.
He has spent more than 13 years working at the luxury lodge overlooking Palliser Bay in South Wairarapa, first as shepherd and latterly as farm manager.
The guests are accommodated in the grand homestead which sits amid 900 hectares above the bay. Riggs is in charge of the farming operation which runs alongside the tourism business grazing Romney sheep and cattle on 530 hectares of the property.
Bradley Riggs, farm manager at Wharekauhua Country Estate Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Among the lodge's international guests are rich-listers, celebrities and even royalty, which can be "intense", Riggs told Country Life, although he's not fazed by all the activity.
"I just do my farm tour the same way I always would do it. And, yeah, sometimes you do see guests walking past the yards and things like that and they'll have security with them.
"It doesn't change my day, really, you just carry on."
It is a "real-life" view of farming they get too, Riggs said.
"Any questions they ask me, they get an honest answer, whether it's the good, the bad or the ugly."
"The other day, we had to kill some dog tuckers, and there were still sheep carcasses hanging up in the woolshed. And I just explained to [the guests] beforehand that they're there, and why they're there, that the dog's need to be fed, and dogs need a lot of fat in their diet, so mutton is perfect."
Bradley Riggs and his son Bradley Junior with guests Paula and Monty Reed outside the woolshed Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
The activity at the lodge and interacting with guests from around the world make what can be a lonely job interesting, Riggs told Country Life.
"We do get a few that are specifically wanting to sort of learn about the farm and have asked to spend a bit more time with me than just the farm tour."
Bradley demonstrates how to shear Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Monty Reed, from Arizona, had plenty of questions as he watched Riggs round up a flock with his dogs and shear a sheep. The cost of sheep shearing - well over the return for the wool - intrigued the former businessman.
Outside the woolshed he watched intently as Riggs demonstrated the specific skills of the Huntaway and the Heading Dog.
"She'll really be using her eyes staring the sheep down. She's basically telling the sheep, who's boss," Riggs said in between whistling commands to the dogs.
"I'll put Harry out now so you can see the difference in the way they work."
Guests look on as Bradley puts his dogs through their paces with a flock of sheep Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
The Huntaway's flurry of barks echoed around the pen.
"So basically, the bark is just giving him a lot more power than the Heading Dog on its own."
"How fast they operate just amazes me," Reed said.
"Seeing the shearing, hearing a farmer talk, it makes me understand, as you're driving into the beautiful countryside, just what's happening on different farms and what they're doing."
Gumboots lined up at the entry way to Wharekauhau Country estate Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
