Local buyers bolstered support for Hillden Poll Dorset rams at the stud's 37th annual sale on Friday.
Hillden Poll Dorset Stud, owned and operated by the Frost family at Bannister, sold 107 of 147 rams offered for a top price of $5000 and an overall sale average of $1470.
The top-priced stud ram, which placed third at the Bare Shorn Ram Australasian Dorset Championships, was purchased online via AuctionsPlus by RH Greenland and GW Sinclair, Bexta, Tamworth, for $5000.
He weighed 146 kilograms and scan results indicated an eye muscle depth of 55 millimetres, eye muscle width of 110mm, and a fat depth of 11mm.
His sire, Hillden 110-19, was Supreme Exhibit at Canberra Royal in 2020 and Senior Championship Ram at the NSW Dorset Championships at Cowra in 2020.
The second top-priced ram sold for $4500 to Willowview Partnership, Yass.
The stud ram won the June Shorn Ram Australasian Dorset Championship, weighed 125kg, and scanned an eye muscle depth of 53mm, eye muscle width of 106mm, and a fat depth of 9mm.
The majority of the rams sold locally, with one interstate buyer from Victoria also operating.
James Frost said it was most likely the best line of rams his family had offered.
He was pleased with the results, taking into account current market trends.
"It's a sign of the times, but I was very pleased with the rams, and the clients are happy with them," he said.
Hillden aims to breed fast-maturing, easy-doing sheep that suit the climate, with plentiful cover to get through harsh winters and then pick up quickly once a flush of feed comes in the spring.
"We use a lot of our own bloodlines, and there are quite a few in the catalogue by a Gooramma ram this year, which was a purchase for an outsource of sires," Mr Frost said.
"There are a few by a Tattykeel ram, a $32,000 ram we bought a share in a couple of years ago.
"And there are quite a few by Hillden 110, a ram that has bred exceptionally well."
Volume buyer on the day was Sutton Park, Laggan, which secured 12 rams for an average of $1133.
Elders Crookwell livestock agent Daniel Tarlinton purchased the line of rams on behalf of Sutton Park, which had purchased rams from Hillden for the past two years.
"We were looking for moderate to large-framed rams with plenty of meat to suit the sucker market," he said.
"They sell all sucker lambs off before Christmas, so they try to get them off mum as quick as possible. We were trying to get those better-covered rams to achieve that."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien, Crookwell, with Rick Power as auctioneer, Duncombe and Co., Crookwell, with Jock Duncombe as auctioneer, and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
