A Poll Merino ram was purchased for $51,000 at Sheepvention in Hamilton this week
Willandra Merino stud, Jerilderie, sold the ram privately to Clinton Blight, Seymour Park Merino stud, Highbury, Western Australia, and a group of semen partners.
The semen partners include Meadow View Poll Merinos, Henty, Cranston Pty Ltd, Wandering, WA, San Mateo Poll Merinos, Brookton, WA, Warralea Poll Merinos, Gairdner, WA, Wililoo Poll Merinos, Katanning, WA, Kamora Park Poll Merinos, Karoonda, SA, and North Cowie Poll Merinos, Warooka, SA.
Willandra stud principal Ross Wells said the ram was bred from a Desmond daughter and sired by Wallaloo Park 422 - Desmond being a former Australian champion hogget Merino ram, and 422 being a Merino Lifetime Productivity Project sire.
The attention on the ram started last month at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo, Victoria, where it was part of the national March-shorn pair.
"That got the wheels turning," Mr Wells said.
"[Mr Blight's] keen on the sheep and he is a young fellow and he'll have some young fellows in his partnership and I like young people."
He said Seymour Park had bid up to $81,0000 in 2016 for a ram at Willandra's on-property sale.
He said Willandra would collect semen from the ram before it went to WA, and the buyer would hold semen rights in WA and South Australia.
He said the ram's sire had been very successful at Willandra, as well as in other flocks through semen sales.
