BALANCE and thickness were two reasons the Rayner family of Grathlyn stud, Hargraves, paid the $12,000 top-price money for one of the winning pair of rams at the second annual Australian White National Show and Sale at Dubbo showground last Friday.
The ram from Ian and Donna Gilmore and family’s Baringa stud, Oberon, was among 19 stud rams sold from an offering of 26 from 10 studs to average $3542, while 21 from 50 flock rams topped at $3000 to average $1436 and seven from 10 stud ewes sold to $1200 three times to average $1057.
Baringa’s sale-topper was an embryo transfer (ET) brother to Premier (Oberon) stud’s senior champion ewe and Baringa’s top-priced ram at the Central West Australian White sale at Dubbo in September.
Grathlyn stud co-principal, Max Rayner, said the ram was “so square on his legs”, had good feet and would fit perfectly into the stud’s breeding program.
Baringa sold four stud rams for a $7375 average and two flock rams averaging $2500 while Grathlyn stud gained a $2675 average for four stud rams topping at $5000 (to Boxdale stud, Condobolin) and one flock ram at $1200.
Highveld stud, Mendooran, sold four stud rams at $2000 each and six flock rams to average $1200.
Second top-priced ram at $8000 was also from Baringa and sold to Anthony Hurst and family’s Seriston Pastoral Company, Lucindale, South Australia, as a foundation sire for their flock.
Dawn O’Neill, Collaroy stud, Hermidale, paid $7000 for Brayden and Lochie Gilmore’s Premier stud reserve senior champion ram and October 2016 drop class winner and later sold two stud rams at $1200 each and two flock rams topping at $2750 to average $1972.
Baringa stud also gained $6000 for a son of last year’s $12,000 Baringa Maximum, selling to Gavin and Leanne Kelly, “Kelly’s Run”, Crooked Corner, for their first venture into Australian Whites. This ram will be joined to 80 White Dorper ewes forming a nucleus flock with the best ram progeny to be joined to their 1200 White Dorper ewes.
Buyer of most lots was the Semmler family, “Morahmee”, Gilgandra, who paid $1200 each for five Highveld and two Kanoona Park flock rams, while three buyers bought four rams each for Queensland, SA and NSW.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Stud Stock, Dubbo, with John Settree taking on auctioneer duties.