INTERSTATE and local interest in industry relevant rams has helped Ridgehaven Poll Dorsets set a new record stud average during its sale on Thursday last week.
Overall, the Cudal-based stud celebrated a full clearance of 147 rams to a top of $5250 and average of $2934, which surpassed last year's average and previous benchmark of $2423 by $511.
But the highlights did not stop there with two Ridgehaven rams selling to Western Australia for the first time.
RELATED READING: Ridgehaven Poll Dorset's 2021 ram sale results
Max Whyte of Brimfield Poll Dorset stud, Kendenup, WA bid boldly on his pick of the draft, eventually securing Ridgehaven 210113 for the top price of $5250, along with Ridgehaven 210624 for $4500.
Sired by Warburn 190024, the April 2021-drop top ram weighed 136.5 kilograms with an eye muscle depth of 51mm, an eye muscle width of 108mm, an eye muscle area of 42.41 square centimetres, and 10mm of fat.
Mr Whyte - who runs about 1000 Poll Dorset and White Suffolk stud ewes - purchased the rams sight unseen, but was impressed by the confirmation and amount of meat they have on them. "We will naturally mate each ram to about 70 ewes," he said.
"He is a big-framed, good depth of body ram with beautiful presence about him, and a nice balance of figures - he is a sheep that always stood out in the mob," Ridgehaven co-principal Isabele Roberts added.
The $5000 second-top price was paid for Ridgehaven 210068, a son of Gooramma 'Rib Eye' 170220 out of a Tattykeel 'Blackjack' ewe, by Brendan Mansbridge of Tymon stud, Eugowra.
"I love the pedigree on the ram, it combines two of the best rams I've seen in the last 10 years - it was a pedigree you'd rarely find. The combination of those two animals you likely won't see again," Mr Mansbridge said.
"He is a well-balanced sheep with a lot of muscle, good on his feet and the type of sheep we are aiming to breed."
Mrs Roberts said it was rewarding to have a shed full of people that have confidence in the stud's product after using its rams for years.
"It was great to see return clients come back as they know they will get value, producing great lambs from using our rams," she said.
"It makes me so proud to produce what we have, knowing what we produce actually makes other peoples' business profitable.
"At the end of the day, that is the whole point of Poll Dorset genetics; we have to drive profit in other peoples' businesses."
A top of $1200 and average of $969 was achieved for 13 of 20 ewes sold. The main buyer of ewes was Conrad Boyd, Cowra.
Selling agents were Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon, and Co, with Luke Whitty, Forbes, the auctioneer.
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