About the Merino Muster

The Merino Muster is New Zealand’s longest-running cross-country ski marathon, first held in 1995. The race takes place at Snow Farm, New Zealand’s only dedicated cross-country ski field, situated at around 1,500 metres above the Cardrona Valley.

But the story of the Merino Muster begins long before the first skier arrived.

John and Mary Lee established what was originally known as Waiorau Nordic Ski Area, creating the beginnings of what would become Snow Farm and New Zealand’s home of cross-country skiing.

John Lee was a high-country farmer, and he knew the land intimately. Before the ski trails were established, John and his family mustered Merino sheep across these hills, using many of the natural ridgelines, valleys and routes that skiers now travel on race day.

It is this connection to the land and its farming history that inspired the name Merino Muster. The race celebrates the Merino sheep that once roamed these high-country hills, the tradition of mustering and the people who have shaped this special place.

Many of the trails used today follow old farm and sheep-mustering routes, while others have been developed to work with the natural topography and snow-retention features of the terrain. When you ski the Merino Muster, you are travelling through a landscape that has been shaped by both farming and skiing.

John and Mary Lee's vision transformed a working high-country landscape into a place where people from New Zealand and around the world could experience the beauty and challenge of cross-country skiing. Today, Snow Farm continues that legacy, welcoming local skiers, families, Worldloppet competitors and international teams to the Pisa Range.

The Merino Muster is more than a ski race. It is a celebration of place, heritage and community — where the history of Merino sheep and high-country farming meets the international world of cross-country skiing.