MOVING to Crookwell showgrounds due to impending weather, the Glenwood Park ram sale resulted in a full clearance of 53 rams for the Madden family on Saturday.
In total 40 Poll Dorset rams sold to the sale top of $4400 and averaged $2518, while the inaugural offering of 13 Border Leicester rams reached a $4200 high and $3123 average.
Well received by the gallery of 28 prospective buyers that were in attendance, Scott Madden of the Middle Arm-based stud said it would have been the most even draft of Poll Dorsets they had offered in their nine years of hosting sales.
"There were a lot of comments on how consistent they were - blokes had a job to pick a standout, because they were so even and how upstanding they were on their feet. We have concentrated on feet and early maturity," he said.
Introducing Border Leicesters to the catalogue, Mr Madden said they had seen an opportunity to offer sheep producers all their ram needs in one sale.
"We have multiple clients that have a double enterprise - breeding second cross lambs and replacement ewes - and I thought it was fitting to help my clients by being a one-stop shop," he said.
"New to Border Leicesters we are still learning, but we had comments on the high-quality offered despite it being the first offering."
Mr Madden's mother, Lynn Madden, said they were very happy with how the Border Leicesters sold with all rams offered sired by the Retallack 436-18 ram and out of Jerradale-blood ewes.
"We focus on breeding honest rams which will produce lambs for the sucker market, with good overall structure and a focus on feet, clean heads and tight wools," Mrs Madden said.
"We take pride in all the rams being paddock reared and the fact that they have had no supplement feeding since birth."
The $4400 top-priced Poll Dorset ram was Glenwood Park 1-20, a May 2020-drop son of Pinewalla 332-16 out of the Glenwood Park 33-15 dam. He weighed 122 kilograms with an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 44 millimetres and fat depth of 10mm.
IN OTHER NEWS: Bo-Bar Poll Dorsets to $3300 top, $2034 average
Also the charity ram of the offering, he was purchased by James Tinham of Yarra, with all proceeds going to the Mark Hughes Foundation.
The donation will be made to honour the Madden's long-time family friend and James' father, Robert Tinham, who was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2016 and after two major surgeries and two different treatment programs lost his brave battle in February this year.
Jessmondeen Pastoral at Bigga purchased the second-top Poll Dorset sire prospect at $3800. He was the 131kg Glenwood Park 52-20, also by the Pinewalla 332-16 sire and out of the Glenwood Park 73-17 ewe. His scans were 43mm for EMD of 43mm and 7mm for fat depth.
The top-priced Border Leicester ram was Glenwood Park 146-20 purchased by long-term clients Tanya and Nick Hearne for $4200. Weighing 113.5kg with an EMD of 37mm and fat depth of 10mm, he was by Retallack 436-18 and out of Jerradale 173.
In total the Hearnes purchased two Border Leicester and two Poll Dorset rams for their Bigga-based operation.
The largest volume buyer was Narrambulla Pastoral Co, Goulburn, which purchased seven Poll Dorset rams to a top of $2400 and average price of $2085.
Jessmondeen Pastoral also took home multiple, putting together a draft of five Poll Dorsets at a $2880 average.
Border Leicester volume buyers included Adam Maloney, Taralga, the Robertson family, Bigga and Ken Croker, who each bought two rams.
The sale was conducted by MD and JJ Anderson, Crookwell, with auctioneer Greg Anderson taking bids.
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