A buoyant spring, strong first-cross ewe prices, and a desire to acquire industry leading genetics made the 41st Retallack Border Leicesters on-property production sale ‘fun in the sun’.
Graham and Isabella Grinter and family offered 215 quality lots including 30 stud ewes which sold to $2200 twice for a complete clearance and $833 average.
A complete clearance of 24 stud rams recorded an average of $2990 reaching highs of $8500.
While a competitive market snapped up 146 of the 151 flock rams for an average of $1083.
Retallack 528.15 the junior champion and reserve grand champion ram from Canberra Royal 2016 sold to Glenoak Border Leicester stud, “Baroona”, Narromine, for the top money of $8500.
The Saddle Bag son was selected by the Barber family for his bloodlines particularly of interest was the maternal bloodline of Quion Hill Pride.
Curtis Barber praised the ram “he has length, depth of side, a great head and outlook, and good bone, as well as a finer type wool that fits in with our flock”.
Hot on the heels Ben, Daniel and Matthew Simmons, Talbragar Border Leicesters, “Koolyn”, Leadville, secured the impact sire, Retallack 377.15 for $8000.
Once again sired by Saddle Bag he won the Interbreed ASBA Scannergram class at Bendigo 2016 and the objective measurement class at Sydney Royal 2016.
Ben Simmons described the ram as a big square structurally correct stud sire, with sires head and outlook and a dense heavy fleece.
“He is packed full of red meat and has the stock scan figures to prove it,” he said.
Mr Simmons also purchased a second stud ram for $3250.
Ben Picker, Bedsys Border Leicesters, “Hillcreston”, Bigga, secured two stud rams paying $4500 for a I’ma Callum son and $3500 for a Double Dipper son.
First-time buyers at Retallack Des and Ben Campbell, Avoca Border Leicesters, “Avoca”, Gulgong, took the tops of the stud ewes paying the top money of $2200 twice.
Taking home the junior champion and reserve grand champion ewe from both Canberra and Sydney Royals 2016 in Retallack 372.15 an Exceed and Excell daughter as well as a Left Handed daughter also from the show team.
Taking home six ewes in total Ben Campbell said they were drawn to the finer type dense wool of the Retallack ewes, which is what their buyers are looking for.
“They will complement our flock well and are long structurally sound ewes,” he said.
Jack Fardell, Euchareena, led the volume buyers in the ewes paying to $1500 as he put together a draft of 13 for an average of $754 and added a stud ram for $2500, and following suit, S and F Heazlewood, Whiteford, Tasmania, averaged $717 for six ewes and paid $4000 for a stud ram.
Operating on the flock section, C.R. and S.T .Harrison, Bridgewater, Vic, loaded 26 rams for $977 average, with Ravenshaw Farming, Goolgowi, securing 19 rams topping at $1100 for $926 average and J.W. Kelly and Co., “Suffolk Vale”, Boorowa, buying 16 rams with an average of $967 and a top of $1200.
Geoff and Diane Allan, “Glenavon”, Moama, paid to $2000 for their selection of 15 rams.
The sale was conducted by Landmark and Elders with Rick Power, Peter Godbolt, and Steve Ridley wielding the gavel.
