The arrival of 101 members of the hereford ‘fan club' registered little more than a passing interest from Koanui Boulder, the one tonne bull in a small enclosure at Hukaroa Station.

Cool as – Koanui Boulder – the one tonne stud bull at Hukaroa Station.

And it's testament to the stud bull's temperament he tolerated the attention of the two bus-loads of people, hosted by Dean and Lisa Hansen as part of the 2014 National Hereford Herd Tour.

The visitors, however, were impressed with Koanui Boulder and other herefords on display.

Hukaroa is one of 14 Hereford stud farms visited by those taking part in the Gallagher Coast to Coast National Hereford Herd Tour, organised by the South Auckland Hereford Club.

'Hereford breeders from all over the country were on the tour and the feedback we've had from them and the sponsors is it was one of the best organised and friendliest tours they've been on,” says Noel Smith, one of the organisers.

Noel, who with wife Betsy owns Newcastle Stud near Ngaruawahia, says participation in the tour is testament to the enduring popularity of the Hereford breed.

Herefords are a hardy breed able to withstand tough conditions, as evidenced by the way they're coping with this summer's dry in the Waikato.

'In the snow storms of 1995 in the South Island high country, hereford also came through better than other breeds,” says Noel.

Temperament is another important factor and its one Hukaroa Station ranks highly.

The fact guests were able to walk freely among young bulls, cows and calves – and even enter pens of Koanui Boulder and other stud bull Hukaroa Jaggar without the animals panicking or showing signs of aggression –to evidence of the success of the Hansen family's breeding programme.

Visitors on the Gallagher Coast to Coast National Hereford Herd Tour, arriving at Hukaroa Stud.

Both Dean and Lisa work closely with their animals and their well set-up yards are designed for handling stock and showcasing them during the stud's annual bull sale in September.

Every year about 80 two-year-old and yearling bulls are sold to beef and dairy farmers, many who are repeat clients.

'Our bulls are sold to all regions of the country and they are renowned for their ability to shift, breed and work well,” says Lisa.

Dean and Lisa Hansen work closely with the Hereford animals they breed at Hukaroa Stud.

'We regularly support the National Beef Expo Sale, both as purchasers and vendors. In 2012 our entry in the North Island Super Sires Group ‘Hukaroa Item' was placed first in his class, and purchased for stud duties, topping the sale at $28,000.”

The family aims to continue increasing the stud herd to just a little more than 200 cows, to market and supply the demand for hereford bulls.

'This is not a quick task, as our mantra is to never compromise quality for quantity. We are passionate about hereford cattle – and it's important to us to like the type of herefords we breed here at Hukaroa, so we are constantly mindful of maintaining a sound base to achieve this.”

It was Dean's parents Peter and Glennis who established the stud in 1968 in Ardmore, South Auckland, where they still reside.

The stud, and Dean and Lisa, moved to Waerenga near Te Kauwhata 22 years ago, where the operation continues.

The 520 hectare farm is in the Hapuakohe Range – and Dean and Lisa describe it as very strong hill country, 'which is a great test of the durability and constitution of our stock”.

Dean says even big bulls handle the steep terrain well and appear to enjoy the contour, which affords them shelter from sun or rain.

'They tend to graze from first light and then at about 9am head for the shade and shelter of the bush, coming out to feed again at about 6pm.”

Their ability to do well on rougher pasture is a bonus in dry years, says Dean.

The farm has several pockets of native bush, including stands of mature kauri, rimu and totara.

The Hansen family takes pride in the property also being home to native birds, including wood pigeon, kaka and morepork. Shags are often seen too, feeding on the kura (fresh water crayfish) in the streams.

The property ranges from 60 metres to just more than 400 metres above sea level, with magnificent views from its highest point overlooking the Firth of Thames, the Coromandel Ranges, Mount Te Aroha, Mount Pirongia and Hunua Ranges.

'It gets pretty cold in winter and we often have sleet. In the 22 years we've been here it's snowed four times, but the snow didn't last,” says Dean.

Hukaroa also grazes about 2000 Romney-Coopworth, mainly to keep the pastures weed-free.

'There's no money in their wool anymore,” says Dean.