The second annual Hillden Poll Dorset Stud Ram Sale was hosted online via AuctionsPlus on Tuesday last week, with the lead lot in the sale fetching a hefty $27,500.
Overall Brian, Lorraine and James Frost of the Bannister-based stud sold 20 of 28 Poll Dorset rams at auction for a 71 per cent clearance and $6575 average. More rams have since been sold privately.
"The sale went really well and we are really happy with it," James Frost said.
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"Rams sold to studs, but quite a few were priced to sell to flock ram competition... quite a few rams went to top-end prime lamb producers."
Previously selling majority of their rams privately at shows, Mr Frost said COVID-19 had pushed them to do the sale this way online last year and it is something they will continue.
Hillden 211-20 was the $27,500 top-priced ram which sold to regular repeat clients Greg and Christine Healey of Mt Bathurst Poll Dorsets, Black Springs.
The April-drop embryo transfer (ET) ram was by Hillden 860-17 and his dam was Hillden 181-18, who was the supreme exhibit at the NSW Dorset Championships in 2019.
"He has always been a standout ram, very correct with a lot of style and meat to go with him," Mr Frost said.
"He was shown at a couple of local shows were he was champion, and at the NSW Dorset Championships he was third in the woolly class."
Weighing 166 kilograms, the sale-topper had an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 59 millimetres, eye muscle width (EMW) of 110mm, eye muscle area (EMA) of 49.97 square centimetres and fat depth of 11mm.
Victor Koble of Hidden Valley Poll Dorsets, Binalong, purchased the $16,250 second-top ram. An un-shown September-drop ram, he was out the Hillden 224-17 ewe which was the supreme exhibit at the NSW Dorset Championships in 2018 that went on to be supreme prime lamb exhibit at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in the sale year.
"His dam was also the dam of the Hillden 110-19 ram we retained last year," Mr Frost said.
He weighed 140kg with an EMD of 48mm, EMW of 105mm, EMA of 38.81sq cm and fat depth of 8mm.
The third top price of $14,000 was paid by repeat buyer Karl Sinclair of Kinsale Poll Dorsets, Orange, for Hillden 212-20.
Sired by Hillden 730-16, who was the supreme exhibit of the 2017 Royal Melbourne Show, the April-drop ram was third in the shorn class at the NSW Dorset Championships and weighed 163kg with an EMD of 58mm, EMW of 108mm, EMA of 48.23sq cm and fat depth of 13mm.
Also making five figures was Hillden 434-20, the intermediate champion ram from the 2021 NSW Dorset Championships, which sold for $10,500 to repeat buyers Clinton and Kay Westphal, Wilgarna Poll Dorsets, Boyup Brook, WA.
He weighed 152kg with a 61mm EMD, 112mm EMW, 52.61sq cm EMA and 11mm fat depth.
Greg and Louise Hamilton of Windradyne Poll Dorsets at Canowindra purchased Hillden 265-20, a 152kg thick, meaty ram with a lot of presence for $10,250.
The sale was hosted online via AuctionsPlus with agents Nutrien, Goulburn and Duncombe and Co, Crookwell.
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