Cheers! Pinetree's farm goes for $1.4m

Colin Meads says the reality will sink in when he leaves the farm in February. Photo / Alan Gibson

At first it seemed Colin "Pinetree" Meads had turned up at the Waitete Rugby Club rooms to catch up with a few mates and sip on a pint.

He had been working on his farm that morning shifting stock, but at 2pm he made the short drive back in to Te Kuiti to see how his farm would go at auction. He seemed relaxed and admitted he did not expect the farm to sell.

"It's very uncertain. The sheep world is not overly healthy at the moment," he said. "We'll just take it as it comes, I personally don't think it will go. Deep down I don't know if I really want to sell."

About 60 people trickled in to the auction, most of them friends and neighbours of Colin and Verna Meads.

Their sons Glynn and Kelly were also there.

So too was a low-key man from Piopio, who propped himself up on a stool beside a "leaner" table, directly opposite the auctioneer's lectern.

He had taken his gumboots off at the door and was wearing only woollen farming socks, a rugged old pair of Canterbury rugby shorts, a Swanndri shirt that "you get for free with a bucketload of drench," and a faded painter's cap.

A few minutes later the unshaven man from the King Country backblocks had bought the farm for $1.425 million. Capital value was $1.615 million. The buyer's name was Les Holloway, whom Meads said he dealt with once a year to "sell rams to".

Mr Holloway said he had purchased the property with a farming partner, who was in the room but wanted to remain anonymous. He was happy with the price. "I'll worry about [paying for] it on Monday."

Verna Meads, who appeared slightly emotional, said she and her husband had already made the shift to Te Kuiti, although Colin was still driving out to the farm to work on it.

The All Black legend put on a brave face. "The emotion will come when we walk out on February 1. I'll have nowhere to go in the mornings."

But he said he would find other things to do, and he was looking forward to spending more time at their holiday home in Papamoa.