John and Michelle purchased Race Point Farm in 2006 when the average micron was 26.2. They have purchased rams from the National Stud Flock, (owned and run by the Falkland Islands Government), and Blue Beach Farm over the years and now boast an average micron of 21.4.
In recent years they have built a new shearing shed focusing on animal welfare, shearer welfare, wool handlers, lighting and good wool preparation areas. They are accredited Quality Falkland Wool, a scheme introduced and audited by the Falkland Islands Government Department of Agriculture to ensure the best practices within the shearing shed.
For two years John and Michelle used holistic grazing but found this approach was hard on their young animals so they have reverted back to rotational grazing. As well as suiting the animals better, this approach has also resulted in improvements in the land.
They have also taken advantage of the strong Falklands winds and have a 6 kilowatt wind turbine which supplies 98% of their power needs, including shearing and pressing. Their water is supplied by a natural spring and is gravity fed to the farm.
John was a sheep shearer for 20 years, 16 of which he was running the contract shearing gang in the Falkland Islands. He has represented the Falkland Islands in the World Championships and Golden Shears in 1992 (UK) and in 1996 (New Zealand). Their son, Evan, followed in his father’s footsteps and holds the mature ewe record in the Falkland Islands (461 mature ewes in 8 hours). Evan has also represented the Falkland Islands in the World Championships and Golden Shears in New Zealand. They have a 16-year-old daughter, Talia, who is in her final year of secondary school.
Michelle was a wool handler for a number of years but once Evan came along, she set up her own hairdressing business in Stanley, the capital of the Falklands. Since purchasing Race Point, Michelle and John have renovated and run a 2-bedroom self-catering cottage that can accommodate 6 to 8 people. They offer trout fishing on a river 15 to 20 minutes drive from the cottage. Race Point also has a lot of coastal land with an abundance of wildlife for tourists to see; this includes breeding colonies of Rockhopper penguins, Gentoo penguins, Magellanic penguins and King Cormorants. King penguins also visit the coastline throughout the summer season along with many seals who breed on a small island just off the coast line.
