Nestled in the heart of Western Southland, Lawson Lea Coopworth Stud is dedicated to breeding high-performing dual-purpose sheep that thrive across a wide range of farming systems.

Established in 1978 by Bob and Reta Black, the stud has remained firmly family-owned and operated. Graeme and Raewyn Black took over the stud in 1987 and today are joined by their son Cameron and his family, ensuring the continuation of a strong breeding philosophy.

The focus at Lawson Lea has always been, to breed sound-bodied, easy-care sheep that combine performance, practicality, and profitability, together with excellent temperament, strong maternal traits, and the ability to maximise returns per stock unit.

Operating on 320-hectares (4,400 SU) Lawson Lea runs approximately 200 stud ewes, 2,000 commercial ewes, and 600 hoggets, with half of the hogget flock mated each year. The farming operation also includes beef cattle and replacement dairy heifers for the family's neighbouring dairy enterprise.

As stud breeders, we believe our role is to help commercial farmers improve both profitability and lifestyle through genetics. We are committed to breeding sheep that require less labour while maintaining high levels of production and resilience. To achieve this, we utilize a range of performance-recording technologies, including SIL and EID identification, allowing us to track lifetime performance of individual animals and make informed breeding decisions.

Selection pressure is placed on traits that matter to commercial farmers, including growth rate, meat yield, longevity, and animal health. Regular weighing, eye muscle scanning, dagg scoring, and detailed performance recording, all contribute to identifying and retaining our most productive genetics.

While meat production remains our key focus, we also continue to select for well-styled, commercially valuable wool, as we believe wool remains an underrated asset.

At Lawson Lea, our aim is simple: to provide practical, profitable genetics that help commercial sheep farmers succeed now and into the future.