Your Hosts

The Guild family in May 2009, from left: Hamish, James, Anna, Amelia, Simon.

High Peak is a family business, a feature of which we are very proud. James and Anna Guild have run the station for over 35 years and are passionate about the part of New Zealand they call home. Their sons, Simon and Hamish, both manage aspects of the family business having spent some time in the wider world, whilst the artworks of Anna and daughter Amelia reflect life on the station in an original and creative fashion.

The Guild family form the hub of the team that will be looking after you during your stay with us.

James Guild – Owner / Principal James has lived at High Peak Station since its purchase by the Guild family in 1973 and has developed it into the property it is today. Heavily involved with growing the deer industry in New Zealand, James has held a number of national positions encompassing deer farming, export marketing, conservation and wild game management including chairman of the NZ Deer Farmers’ Association, director of the Game Industry Board, inaugural chair of the Canterbury-Aoraki Conservation Board and chair of the Organising Committee of the first World Deer Congress in 1992. Currently he is president of the NZ Association of Game Estates, Chairman of Velexco (deer velvet exporter) and a member of the government-appointed Game Animal Council Establishment Committee. James subscribes to the ‘F’ philosophy of life – family, friends, fun and fine fare (and occasionally fishing, firearms and fine scotch)!

Anna Guild – Hostess Originally a city girl, Anna has been an integral part of High Peak since her marriage to James. While bringing up three children, she was very involved in local community activities and developed the homestead’s extensive garden. In later years she has become an accomplished watercolour artist, exhibits regularly in NZ and has sold works internationally. She is an avid foodie and loves entertaining and innovative cooking. Anna has been responsible for the hosting and entertaining side of the enterprise and is now enjoying sharing her involvement with her children in the family business. She loves hiking in NZ’s back country, travelling in other countries and is partial to the odd long women’s lunch.

Simon Guild – Hunting & Tourism Manager Based in the UK for the last three years, Simon returned to take over the management of the hunting and tourism divisions of the venture in 2009. Simon holds a commerce degree with honours from Otago University, majoring in marketing and over the last seven years has held sales and marketing positions with a number of international companies in the food, beverage and tourism industries. He has travelled internationally throughout Europe, the Americas and South-East Asia. Simon is a keen back-country skier, qualified ski instructor and pilot, holding a private pilot’s license. He uses both means to explore New Zealand’s wilderness areas. His other interests are cars, surfing (poorly) and cooking with local wild produce.

Hamish Guild – Station Manager & Head Guide Hamish has hunted, fished and hiked the high country from a very early age, taking his first trophy at the age of nine. Completing his education with a period at Lincoln Agricultural University, he then travelled widely overseas for a number of years before returning to take over the management of the property in 2007. Hamish enjoys nothing more than sharing with visitors the special activities and features of the environment he lives in and no one knows the hunting areas better than he does. In his spare time, Hamish heads for the outdoors with rod, rifle or camera. He enjoys following rugby football (as a keen ex-player), a wide range of music and is an enthusiastic photographer, evidence of which you’ll find on this website.

Amelia Guild Currently living in Auckland to pursue her acting career, Amelia maintains a love of the high country and returns as frequently as she can. Like her brothers, she too has travelled widely, culminating in several months in India making a television documentary as both presenter and artist.  Holding an arts degree in theatre studies and art history from Otago, with a final year in Amsterdam, Amelia devotes her time between acting commitments to her painting, specialising in oils, and often draws on her farm background to transpose rural icons into urban cityscapes. With several awards and exhibitions to her credit, Amelia has her works hanging in the US, Britain as well as throughout New Zealand. Amelia loves skiing, horse riding and her slightly nutty pet labrador, Max.