Western Southland Veterinary Club, a legacy 50 years in the making.
Founding committee member Allan Brown (centre) with current committee members Annmarie Bruin and Paul Hardegger
In Western Southland, progress has often begun the same way as in many rural New Zealand communities, with locals gathering, identifying a shared problem, and deciding to solve it together. More than fifty years ago, that is exactly what happened.
In the late 1960s, a group of Western Southland farmers recognised a pressing challenge: access to reliable veterinary services was essential to farming life yet not always guaranteed. Their solution was simple, practical, and deeply community minded. A public meeting was called, and between 40 and 50 farmers attended, busy people in the middle of demanding seasons, with families and livestock depending on them. Their presence reflected a community that understood the importance of securing dependable veterinary care, not just for individual farms, but for the whole Western Southland district. From that meeting, the Western Southland Vet Club (WSVC) was formed, guided by an original committee of eight locals. They were not administrators or developers; they were practical working farmers who believed their district deserved dependable veterinary services and who were prepared to take responsibility for making it happen. Through an annual membership subscription, farmers collectively ensured steady veterinary care for the region, while receiving discounted fees and travel costs from the club-employed veterinarian. It was a cooperative model grounded in shared commitment.
In 1971, WSVC opened its first clinic in a converted hairdressing salon in Otautau and employed its first veterinarian. Demand grew quickly. The committee secured a loan from the Veterinary Services Council to purchase land from New Zealand Railways for $300, enabling the construction of a purpose-built clinic. A further loan funded the build, with Turner Brothers Builders of Drummond bringing the new facility to life, growing the number of vets and eventually support staff. These were not casual decisions. Loans were taken with care, every dollar represented trust in the committee and in the future of farming in Western Southland. Local farmer Allan Brown, who attended that very first meeting, went on to serve for five decades, missing just two meetings in fifty years demonstrating the kind of constancy that shows both commitment and stewardship. He, and those who served alongside him over the fifty years have understood they were not simply managing a building or a balance sheet, they were safeguarding an asset built through collective sacrifice.
By 1990, as the practice expanded and professional demands increased, the workload carried by volunteers became unsustainable. In a forward-thinking move, WSVC contracted the practice to senior veterinarians while retaining ownership of the land and buildings at 71 Main Street, ensuring the service remained firmly rooted in the community. Otautau Vets Limited (OVL) formally established in 2001, has since grown into a thriving practice employing around 23 veterinarians and support staff. For more than two decades, WSVC continued its role. Rental income was reinvested into maintenance and improvements, and funds were also directed toward scholarships, supporting undergraduate veterinary students during university holidays and assisting local young people pursuing tertiary education in agriculture and providing financial assistance to OVL in the relocation of vets and educational seminars. The purpose of WSVC had quietly evolved — from caring for livestock and servicing the farmers to now also investing in people.
In 2024, WSVC reached another pivotal moment with the sale of the clinic building to Otautau Vets Limited. With that chapter complete, the current executive faced a significant decision: what should be done with funds built through decades of collective effort, discipline, and foresight? They recognised the gravity of the decision. They were not owners in the traditional sense. They were stewards of something built by many hands before them. The funds represented more than property value; they carried history, trust, and obligation.
True stewardship requires thinking beyond one’s own term, beyond one’s own generation. So, in keeping with the principles that shaped the club from the beginning, the proceeds were entrusted to the Southland Foundation. Through a trust transfer process an endowment has been established, the funds will be protected, grown, and used to continue supporting Western Southland long into the future. The scholarships, a priority of the committee will continue, investing in young people connected to agriculture and veterinary science.
From a converted hairdressing salon in 1971…
To a purpose-built clinic funded by modest loans…
To a permanent community endowment designed to serve generations yet to come…
The Western Southland Vet Club’s legacy is not simply about veterinary services. It is about responsibility carried faithfully over time. It is about holding something in trust and ensuring it continues to serve others long after you are gone. And in Western Southland, that trust, built fifty years ago in a room full of farmers will now continue quietly shaping the futures for generations to come.
Western Southland Veterinary Club Legacy Fund Annual Scholarships
Invested as an endowment through the Southland Foundation the Western Southland Veterinary Club Legacy Fund will proudly continue its long-standing commitment to the future of Western Southland’s rural community through the provision of annual scholarships. These scholarships are designed to support eligible recipients from the Western Southland region, with a particular focus on undergraduate veterinary students and local young people pursuing tertiary education in agriculture and related fields. By supporting the next generation of rural professionals, the Legacy Fund reinforces its enduring commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector and ensuring Western Southland continues to thrive. Through these scholarships, the Western Southland Veterinary Club Legacy Fund not only honours its history but actively invests in the people who will shape the future of our farming and rural communities.