Sale summary: 99 rams offered, top price $2300, average $1391, 100pc clearance.
Blackall stud Merino breeders, Rick and Jenny Keogh, were given an overwhelming vote of confidence on Tuesday when they cleared their catalogue of 99 rams to a panel of buyers stretching from Narrabri in NSW and Allora in southern Queensland to Winton and Hughenden in the north.
For the first time ever, Terrick Merinos moved their annual sale from their on-property venue at Amaroo, 110km south of Blackall, to the town’s saleyards complex, combining with the Lambert Charbray and Hereford bull sale as part of Blackall’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
It was a move that paid off in spades with an audience of hundreds assessing the quality of the sires on offer.
Repeat buyers, Will and Marcelle Chandler, Home Creek, Barcaldine, outlaid $2300 for the top-priced Merino ram.
In all, they purchased seven rams for an average price of $2085.
Another prominent buyer was Narrabri grower, David Cameron, Bungara Enterprises, who selected 11 rams for an average $1700.
Purchasing a mix of poll and horn rams, he paid a maximum of $2000 for a Merino ram with the same sire as the sale’s top priced ram.
Concentrating on poll genetics, Brendan and Jane McNamara of Abbotsford, Hughenden, also selected 11 rams, for an average of $1386 and a top of $1700.
Repeat clients, David and Heather Morton, Nelah Downs, Isisford, bought 10 rams.
They included a poll sire with Lambert genetics that they paid $1650 for.
The Keoghs will donate the proceeds of the sale to the West’n’Breast group supporting breast and prostate cancer patients in central west Queensland.
GDL representative, Ben Pelizarri, said the line-up was a fantastic representation of the stud in trying circumstances.
Stud principal, Rick Keogh, said it had been a challenging 18 months for the young rams, and the wool wasn’t as bloomy as usual, but were good examples of the stud’s no-frills approach.
Contributing to that was classer, Andy Picone, who Rick said shared their ethos of a commercial background.
“He understands what we need and what you need,” he said.
Showing its evolution for the 21st century, the 122-year-old stud took a gamble on Tuesday that paid dividends.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
