Hwyl fawr to Taranaki's Welsh sheep scanner

Over 130 people turned up to wish David, Lynwen and their children Daffydd and Nansi bon voyage.

In Wales, you say hwyl fawr to bid someone goodbye.

In rural Taranaki, you throw them a party with more than 130 guests.

Welshman David Lloyd and his family were given a good old-fashioned Kiwi farewell this month, complete with laughter, gifts, and a few stories told over drinks, in a surprise party thrown in their honour.

The evening was full of plenty of laughs and shared memories.

The party was organised by the self-styled Mayor of Tarata, Bryan Hocken, assisted by Laura Werder and was to celebrate what Bryan called "25 years of coming back".

David is a self-employed sheep scanner, and has been coming to Taranaki since 1994 to scan pregnant sheep for farmers.

He says he never planned to spend quarter of a century flying between the two countries.

"It was actually going to be just a one-off job. I saw an advert in a farming paper back in Wales. It was Eltham vets asking for someone to come over to show their vets how to use some new scanning equipment.

"I came over that year. Then the next year, it turned out their older vets didn't really want to learn the new technology, and the younger vets weren't interested in staying in the area, so I kept coming back with my own equipment each year."

Over the years, says David, some things have changed.

"Back then, my scanner was a whole 25kg of luggage. Now it comes as hand baggage, weighing just 7kg."

Other things, however, have not changed at all.

"I always get a great welcome here. It's why I have kept coming back. It's the people, they are so welcoming and friendly."

In the early years, David was single, and says there were certainly some late nights in the pub and plenty of rugby games. During the evening, he recalled times he was dragged to "practice" for the Dean Cup, the day after it was played.

"They said, we have to go (to the pub) or they will come and get us."

Asked which team he supported in the Dean Cup, a matter of local importance, he said whoever didn't win last time.

"I like to see it fought over, it's always a good game."

Things have changed over the years, and now David travels with wife Lynwen and children Nansi (7) and Daffydd (5),

"The kids love it here, and that really matters. You know, if the kids are happy, then we are."

The Lloyd family, Lynwen, Daffydd, Nansi and David, were presented with gifts at the surprise party.

When they are here, the children are fully immersed in rural New Zealand life. They attend the local primary school, Toko School, which they say is quite different to home.

"In Wales, you can't go to school in gumboots."

Nansi thinks gumboots should be part of any school uniform.

"You can play outside in any weather with gumboots."

Daffydd says the school has plenty of green space as well.

"We have a park at Toko School. You can play in it lots."

Another difference for the children would be the language their lessons come in.
Back in Wales, the family are fully Welsh speaking as is the children's school.

"It's quite funny, because when they do speak English, it's with a Kiwi accent," says David.

Bryan Hocken says when he came up with the idea of the party, he thought there would be about 25 people coming.

"But no one said no. Everyone we mentioned it to, wanted to come. Because, well, it because of who David is. Everyone likes him. We appreciate the work he does and we enjoy having him over here each year. Even if he does support the wrong rugby team."

So many people were coming, the venue had to be changed to a larger one, says Bryan, and it became harder and harder to keep the party a secret.

"Thing is, everyone knows him and we all talk. So he did know there would be a few drinks, but I don't think he knew there would be 130 of us here."

The job David does for the farmers is vital, says Nicola Carver.

She and husband Peter are Ōhangai sheep, beef and dairy farmers and David provides a valuable service for them.

"It helps with stock management. If we know which ewes are expecting twins or triplets, we put them together. It helps with managing feed and also knowing which ones are coming early or if there are any problems."

The knowledge farmers get from the results mean they can change feeding patterns, alter stocking rates, and move ewes expecting multiples into paddocks with more cover or shelter as their lambs are likely to be smaller in size.

David is known to be incredibly accurate with the results and has even been put to the test on different animals, says Nicola.

"We've got him to scan to see how many puppies a dog is having as well. I don't think anyone has got him to do a human baby yet though!"

David works in Wales doing the same job on the months he isn't in New Zealand.

"Because the seasons are the other way around, it fits in well. There are some differences though. In New Zealand the stock numbers are so much higher on any one farm. Also, the farmers here are determined to make it work. There are no subsidies for farmers here so they really have to do it all themselves."

The room was packed with farmers from around Taranaki who David has worked with through the years.

When in New Zealand, David works for farmers all over Taranaki and even further out, including Tarata, Mangamingi, Whangamomona and Hurleyville.

"I've been lucky with where we have stayed too. Every year there is accommodation somewhere. It's a bit better now with a family, we tend to get a house, with a dishwasher even sometimes. Back long ago it used to be a shearer's hut or something, it could get pretty cold at night."

During the evening, David and his family were presented with gifts from the farming community including a photo of Mt Taranaki printed on to corrugated iron by Abstract Signs in Stratford and a very special cartoon.

"I got Malcolm Evans, the cartoonist, to do this specially for David," says Bryan.

The cartoon captured David perfectly, said David. Although he noted the dig at his chosen rugby team as well.

"I expected a joke, but this is brilliant, it's something I really will treasure."

Cartoonist Malcolm Evans was commissioned to produce this cartoon to be gifted to David and family.

Saying goodbye each year isn't hard, says David, "as I know I will be back, all going well, the next year".

In fact, he says, not only will he be back, but he expects another party.

"You see, I didn't actually do all the 25 years, a couple of them my brother came instead. So I need to come back every year for a few more, so I can have another 25th party!"

Flower arrangements on each table were made from flowers Bryan had picked that morning in Tarata.