Agriculture
29 July, 2024
$25k - local rams top national auction
MARKET confidence has risen after a champion Loddon ram sold for $25,000 at a national auction on Sunday. Terrick West stud principal Ross McGauchie said he was “a bit shocked” after the stud’s newly-crown Australian all-purpose champion...
MARKET confidence has risen after a champion Loddon ram sold for $25,000 at a national auction on Sunday.
Terrick West stud principal Ross McGauchie said he was “a bit shocked” after the stud’s newly-crown Australian all-purpose champion Merino topped the Australian Sheep and Wool Show ram sale.
“A lot of potential buyers were looking at the auction as a guide to what might happen at the stud ram sale season that kicks off next month,” Mr McGauchie said.
“Hopes may have been lifted a bit ... the sale clearance and average prices were pretty similar to last year.
“For us, the auction exceeded expectations at a time when wool prices are not wonderful and the season has been tough. We were hoping our rams would sell okay but never expected these prices.”
Terrick West also had the second top price of $20,000 for one of its rams that had earlier win its class and finished in the top nine all-purpose Merinos at the show against studs from all Australian states.
First-time New South Wales buyers swooped on the Terrick West progeny at Sunday’s auction.
Breeders of large square framed sheep near Parkes, Overland Merinos, paid the top price and Demondrille Merino Stud, near Yass, second best on a weekend of continued success on the national stage for Loddon studs. John Humbert, of Kedleston Stud near Calivil, won his second consecutive national commercial fleece award and also picked up the Victorian championship.
Mr Humbert’s champion fleece received the highest score across all sections. In the commercial fleece event, he collected first, third and fourth with the stud’s three entries.
He chose to enter the March-shorn clips for their qualities of evenness and colour.
“They had a wonderful even crimp.” Mr Humbert said. And Longdale Park Stud, Berrimal, was a major winner in horned Merino section at the show held at Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showgrounds.
“We keep flying the flag for the horned sheep,” said stud principal Rod Kirk.
“We’re seeing some farmers bounce back to the horned after the strong move over recent years to polls.”
SHOW WRAP - PAGE 11
ROD’S PASSION - PAGE 15