Local and interstate buyers went head-to-head at the 24th annual GullenGamble Poll Merino Ram Sale held at Wellington Showgrounds on Tuesday.
It was the first sale for third generation sheep producer Stewart Edwards and his sons Max and Hugh who took over operations of the stud last year.
Under the new ownership of Westcourt Ag, a total of 91 rams sold at auction of the 130 offered to result in a 70 per cent clearance, a $4600 top price and $2120 average. Four additional rams sold immediately after the sale.
RELATED READING: GullenGamble 2021 ram sale results
Chasing a true dual purpose type, top-priced buyers Ian and Brenda McColl of Rocky Glen Ag, Barraba bid to $4600 to secure their choice lot in GullenGamble 216397.
The autumn-drop son of GullenGamble Poll 190033 weighed 85 kilograms with an 18.4-micron fibre diametre with a standard deviation of 3, a coefficient of variation of 16.3pc and comfort factor of 99.6pc. It also ranked in the top 5pc for maternal weaning weight and top 20pc for weaning weight.
Buying GullenGamble rams for the past six years, the McColls - who were previous stud breeders based at Goondiwindi - were drawn to the Central West stud as they were a similar type to the seedstock sheep they were breeding with extra meat.
"We aim for dual purpose type with good cover," Mr McColl said. "We run 600 commercial breeding ewes and have a target 19-20 micron in grown sheep. We shear six monthly, and wether lambs are sold to TFI [Thomas Foods International]."
The McColls said they had marked the high seller prior to attending the sale, drawn to him for his meat figures and positive fats.
"We want to lift our fats for productivity and fertility," Mrs McColl. "He was a good dual purpose type, and we selected him on figures then visuals."
The McColls also paid the equal second-top price of $4200 for GullenGamble 210256, a 17.9-micron son of GG199123.
Volume buyers Kerin Food and Fibre, Narromine, also paid $4200 for GullenGamble 216323, a 21.2-micron son of GG190033, along with 28 others to average $2272 across its draft.
Makag Family Trust, Yeoval, purchased 19 rams averaging $2084, while Myrang Pty Ltd, Rangoon, Cumnock, bought eight for a $1838.
Returning for a second year was Kevin and Dawn Murphy of St George, Qld, who selected seven rams at an average of $1286 for their commercial flock of 2000-3000 ewes which run alongside a goat enterprise.
"They were chasing growth, fat and muscle, and plainer bodied sheep," said Elders stud stock agent Scott Thrift, Dubbo, who purchased on behalf of the Murphys.
GullenGamble's Max Edwards said they are happy with the support shown during their first sale and they look forward to the future.
"We look to the future with excitement and we invite people on-farm to see the new direction we are pushing the stud," he said.
The sale was conducted by Elders Dubbo with Martin Simmons as the auctioneer.
