22/07/2026
Looking back at where it all began.
Our late founder, Gordon Riach, once shared this memory of arriving in Taihape to start the business:
“I came to Taihape from Hawkes Bay in 1958 with a truck, a wool hook and a set of scales. In those days it was a major undertaking travelling the Napier -Taihape Road; there were two fords to negotiate and several rabbit gates. Whilst I had a reasonable run from Raupunga to Dannevirke, there were 37 other buyers on the road, on occasion I was the 3rd buyer to turn up at a property that day.
In Taihape there was less competition and I leased a small shed in Missel Street before purchasing the existing property in Utiku in 1967.”
Our passion for wool has endured the rise and fall of the market and stood the test of time.
