MERINO buyers still rolling in confidence from the buoyant sheep and lamb prices and regular spikes in the wool market in the past 12 months came armed with the cash to buy quality stud rams at last week’s Great Southern Supreme Merino ram sale at Canberra.
But buyers held those pennies tightly and selected wisely, sorting through the 87 head on offer to buy 63 stud rams for a $3306 average, up on the $3215 average last year.
To add validation to two days of strong judging, the champion sale ram of Peter and Jayne Lette, Conrayn Merinos, Berridale, attracted the equal top price of $10,000 from regular top buyers Brett and Michael McDonald, “Oakvale”, Williamsdale, ACT, who bid to $5000 before agreeing to the $10,000 tag.
The ram was a son of the Alfoxton President ram the Lette family bought in Armidale for $18,000 in 2009.
“The quality of the wool was the attraction for us, as we are pure wool guys and we come regularly to buy the top wools in this sale,” Michael McDonald said.
“This bloke had it at 15.6-micron, with a 2.4-micron standard deviation (SD) and 17.3 per cent coefficient of variation (CV).”
Sandy and Jane Campbell, Kullingrah Merinos, Boorowa, set the tone early by securing an 18.8-micron stud sire from Bogo Merinos, Yass, also for $10,000, for its staple length, constitution and outstanding wool cut.
Mr Campbell said the ram would produce great wethers with big wool cuts and nourished, stylish wool.
The sale was well supported for the front half of the draft, before buyers started to hold back and pick the eyes out of it, with Merryville stud, Boorowa, once again the leader with an average of $4500 for nine of its 12 to a modest top of $7000, twice.
Tom Booth, Alimold Pty Ltd, Boorowa, supported the traditional Merryville sheep well, buying five to $4000, averaging $3300, while Garry Ostini, Orange, paid $7000 apiece for the two top Merryville rams.
Dan Carey, Ballyhooley Merinos, Boorowa, paid $8000 for a sire from Wurrook Merinos, Rokewood, Vic, a Wurrook Ringmaster 127 son at 18.4- micron, while Wurrook also displayed the champion finewool sale ram which sold to Naringal Station Pty Ltd, Wallina, Vic, who also paid $4000 for a second ram.
The champion Poll Merino sale ram, sold by Bob and Mikala Walters, Middle View stud, Dalgety, sold to Johnson Park Merinos,Yass, for $5000. Allan and Sue Dawson, Winyar Merinos, Canowindra, sold a full brother to last year’s $15,000 second toppriced ram for $7000 to Garry Seaman, Lochness Merinos, Crookwell.
The ram won the junior champion March-shorn ram title and carried a
17.3-micron fleece, with a SD of 2.8- micron and 16.2pc CV.
Many breeders and buyers remarked the Walwa Merinos, Gunning, draft
was the biggest improver in the shed, and it showed with all five rams selling for a $2950 average, the top ram making $4250 and gaining comments from judge Harley Hedger, Snowy Plain Merinos, Berridale, as having the best underline he had ever seen.
The top Walwa ram sold to Ken Armour,Winrock Merinos, Gunning, for $4250, while L.E. Clements, “Burwood”, Binda, paid $3750 for a Langdene 4350 son.
One Oak Merinos, owned by Graham and Mary Wells, Jerilderie, always competes well, and it continued the trend by winning the reserve champion sale ram title before selling to John Johnston,West Wyalong.
Charlie and Pip Merriman,Merrignee Merinos, Boorowa, averaged $2625 for six rams, with E.J. Collins,Harden, paying $3250 and $2000 for two sires, while Michael Corkhill, Grassy Creek Merinos, Reids Flat, sold two rams to W.N. and F.S. Swan, “Mirrabooka”, Yass, for $3000 and a third to G.M. and P.M. Hallam, “Alton Hill”, Gunning, for $4000.
Connen Hill Pty Ltd, Goulburn, paid $2250 and $1750 for two Rogara Poll rams from Windellema, while the Evans family, Tara Park stud, Boorowa, sold the reserve champion fine wool sale ram to John Roxborough, Clear Creek Merinos, Young, for $5000.
Mr Roxborough also bought a $1500 Koonwarra sire, and Tara Park’s reserve champion strong wool sale ram went to Lindsay and Laurie Picker, Pleasant View Merinos, Binda, for $4000. K. Rankine, Windellama, bought a ram from Demondrille stud, Harden, for $1500, two from the Armour’s Winrock stud, Gunning, at $1500 and $1000,and two from the Wallendbeen- based Royalla stud for $800.
Ashley Craig, Goulburn, took one from Royalla for $800 and three from the Wythes family’s Rockdale stud, Canowindra, averaging $1300 apiece.
The sale was conducted by Elders and Landmark with Steve Ridley and Andrew Wishart as the auctioneers.
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