Gallagher named Principal Partner for Out the Gate 2026
There are some events on the sheep and beef calendar that carry a bit more weight than the rest because they are not just about a programme on a stage, they are a moment to step back from the pace of the season and take stock of where the sector is heading. Out the Gate has quickly become one of those moments, and with Beef + Lamb New Zealand confirming Gallagher as the Principal Partner for Out the Gate 2026, the event is shaping up as a genuinely important gathering for farmers, breeders, rural professionals and industry leaders who want more than a surface-level update. They want practical learning, real conversations and a reminder that the best parts of this industry are built around people turning up, sharing ideas and backing each other.
Set to take place in Christchurch on 20–21 May, Out the Gate 2026 will again bring together a wide spread of the sheep and beef sector in one place combining celebration, learning and networking in a way that reflects the full reality of farming in New Zealand today. It is an industry that is constantly balancing pressure and opportunity, where seasonal challenges are only one part of the equation and where decisions on-farm now sit alongside changing market expectations, evolving regulation, labour availability and the need to keep lifting productivity without losing sight of animal welfare or environmental responsibility.
Out the Gate is powered by the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Farmer Council and Kāhui, and the structure of the event reflects that farmer-led drive. It sits alongside the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards and the Sheep Breeders Forum, creating a format that is as much about recognising what is being done well as it is about opening the door to new thinking. That matters because the sheep and beef sector has always been strongest when progress is grounded in practical experience, when innovation is tested in real paddocks under real constraints and when the people doing the work are involved in shaping what comes next.
Gallagher’s role as Principal Partner sits comfortably within that approach. Gallagher is one of those brands that many farmers do not have to be introduced to, because it has been part of rural New Zealand for generations. It has built its position not through a single flagship product, but through a steady focus on tools that help farmers manage stock better, tighten workflow and make data easier to capture and act on. In a sector where time is always tight and the work must be repeatable day after day, that kind of practical support is what farmers remember and it is what keeps a company relevant long after the marketing noise has faded.
Gallagher’s product footprint covers a wide range of farm needs, from electric fencing through to weighing and electronic identification, data collection and wireless water monitoring systems. Each of those areas is increasingly tied to the way sheep and beef businesses are run today, with better animal performance coming from sharper information and quicker decision making. Weighing and EID have moved well beyond being optional extras in many systems, particularly where farmers are targeting higher growth rates, tightening drafting, improving feed allocation and making more informed choices around genetics and breeding direction.
It is also not Gallagher’s first involvement with the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards. The company has a long-standing connection to the awards and sponsors the Gallagher Innovation Award, which is a meaningful link given the role innovation is now playing across the sector. Innovation is no longer only about machinery or technology for its own sake. It is about finding better ways to protect labour, improve efficiency, strengthen animal management and make sure farming businesses remain financially resilient in an environment where costs have risen sharply and margins can move quickly.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand GM Farming Excellence Dan Brier says the partnership is a natural fit, and his comments reflect what many farmers want from an event like this. “Out the Gate is about looking forward - creating opportunities for farmers to learn, connect and celebrate success. Gallagher has been alongside New Zealand’s farmers for generations and they continue to push the boundaries for sheep and beef farmers. Gallagher’s partnership reinforces the importance of innovation and collaboration in our sector,” he says.
That sense of collaboration is important because sheep and beef farming can sometimes feel fragmented, particularly when different regions face different climatic pressures, different pasture growth patterns and different market access realities. Bringing people into the same room including breeders, commercial farmers and industry partners creates the sort of cross-pollination that drives practical change. It also helps keep the focus on what is working, rather than the constant noise of what is not.
Gallagher GM Pacific Darrell Jones says the company is proud to back an event that creates those opportunities. “We’re proud to support an event that sparks important conversations and shows how innovations like eShepherd virtual fencing and Auto Weigher can help progress the sector. We value every chance to connect with farmers to understand their challenges, goals and vision for the future,” he says.
Those examples are timely because they reflect where on-farm technology is heading, particularly as farmers look for systems that reduce physical workload while improving control. Virtual fencing is increasingly part of the conversation where land classes are complex, where grazing patterns need to be adjusted quickly or where fencing development can be challenging or costly. Automated weighing also aligns with the push for faster feedback and more accurate performance tracking, especially in systems where early identification of underperforming stock can protect both animal outcomes and financial returns.
Out the Gate 2026 will also be supported by Strategic Partners Farmlands, Rabobank New Zealand and Craigs Investment Partners helping ensure the event carries strong depth across the practical, financial and strategic parts of the farming business. It is a reminder that modern sheep and beef farming is not only about production. It is about business structure, risk management and the long-term confidence to invest in people, genetics, infrastructure and systems that make sense for individual farms.
Tickets for Out the Gate 2026 go on sale in February and with the event set to land in Christchurch in May, it is shaping as one that will be well worth putting in the diary. For many it will be a chance to step away from the day-to-day, reconnect with the wider sector and come home with ideas that are not just interesting, but useful.