IT was a change of scenery for vendors and buyers plus those attending the 2020 Bundemar Merino ram sale last Thursday, as the sale was held on Emrose, Baldry, the new home for Tom and Kate Kirk and family after moving from Condobolin earlier this year.
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The move didn't stop loyal ram buyers who were happy to follow the stud and secured 38 of the 40 rams offered for a $1884 average and top of $3800.
Maiden Merino ewes bred by Allen and Peter Stuckey of Murtonga Pastoral, Homesworth, Condobolin, have been very successful in the annual Don Brown Memorial Condobolin Merino Ewe competition in recent years after the succession split of Stuckey Brothers families, a partnership between Allen and his brother David and families in recent years.
Murtonga Pastoral purchased 10 rams for a $2160 average while paying up to $3800 for the top-priced ram, a 22.4 micron with wool of 9.4 comfort factor, 3.9 micron standard deviation and 15.2 per cent coefficient of variation.
Allen Stuckey said Tom Kirk was their classer and the rams they bought would would help put more weight in the fleeces of the Murtonga sheep.
"The top-priced ram is a well put together ram with good size and him and the other nine rams will work well within the flock," Mr Stuckey said.
The Stuckeys are currently running 2500 ewes of 21 micron average which they will join in early December.
Successful in the Trundle Ted Little Merino ewe competition, James Nixon, Leewang, Yarrabandai, purchased five rams for a $2500 average and paid up to $3500 second top price for a 20.5 micron ram.
Two rams topping at $2100 were secured by Jake and Gerard Hill, Innisfail, Euroa, Victoria, who has been buying Bundemar rams for 10 years.
"We were originally on Wonga blood with the late Gordie McMaster as our classer and moved to Bundemar when owned by Peter Vickery," Gerard Hill said.
Currently they are running 1000 ewes of 19 micron average and join in December for an autumn lamb.
Chris and Greg Burke, The Kars, Yarrabandai, also Ted Little competition winners, bought four rams for a $3625 average and topping at third top price of $3200.
Des, Sandra and Clint Ward, Wardlee, Tullamore, returned to secure five rams averaging $200 and topping t $2600.
The sale was conducted by JN Straney and Son Condobolin, and Forbes Livestock, Forbes, with Blue Reardon in control of the auction.
