KEEN Wiltipoll breeders from Central West areas and Queensland had their eyes on stud and commercial ewes at the 11th NSW Combined Wiltipoll Breeders Sale at Gulgong showground last Saturday.
Buyers took the opportunity of the flat market and bought 16 of the 19 stud ewes while paying up to $500 and an average of $309.
Demand was limited for stud rams with seven of the 18 head offering selling to $900 to average $614, compared to last year's fixture averaging $777 for 13.'
However, breeders' bids for commercial ewes were more enthusiastic resulting in 10 of the 10 head sold as pairs topped at $375 on three lots and averaged $365.
Six NSW studs combined for the multi-vendor sale.
Buyers of the $900 top-priced ram, Paul and Pennie Vary, Tipperina, Barraba, said the 18 months-old Reavesdale ram would be an outcross for their 100-head commercial ewe flock based on Carthona blood for many years.
Mrs Vary's father introduced Wiltipolls to Tipperina years before the couple took over the flock eight years ago. They also paid $600 for another Manna 1391 son.
The ram, twin, is a son on Manna 1391 and from a Reavesdale stud ewe bred by Loris Denyer and Ian Hopwood, Reavesdale stud, Murringo, who sold four rams to average $675, five stud ewes to a $500 top and $385 average and the wo commercial ewes averaging $365.
Queensland breeder, Peter Marriage, Glenbrae, Maclagan, near Dalby, concentrates on beef cattle breeding enterprise, crossbreeding using Limousin bulls and Speckle Park semen , however, in the past few years he has become interested in Wiltipoll sheep and is now beginning a stud flock.
Returning to the Gulgong sale Mr Marriage bought two stud ewes from Reavesdale stud, the top, a daughter of Manna 1391 and another at $350 by Wonoka 6757. He also paid $325 for a Carthona stud ewe bred by Peter and Judy Colless, Carthona stud, Wingham.
While Des and Gloria Houlihan, Mandagery Views, Manildra, say they have retired from Wiltipoll stud breeding, formerly operating the now dispersed Peppercorn Ridge stud, the breed is still strong in their hearts and paid $375 equal top-price for four commercial ewes offered by Reavesdale stud.
Another Gulgong sale supporters, John Blackburn, Mt David, also bought four commercial ewes paying $375 for one pair and $350 for the other.
The sale was conducted by McDonald Lawson, Mudgee, with Bill Lawson the auctioneer.