Brumptons just short of Queensland on-property ram sale record

Narromine AWN sheep and wool specialist Scott Thrift fought off two other determined bidders to land a 14-month-old Jolly Jumbuck ram for $10,000 on behalf of the Tambua Poll Merino stud based at Cobar in western NSW.

The price eclipses last year's $9000 record for stud principals Charlie, Felicity and Lachie Brumpton, and is just short of the $10,200 paid for a poll Merino ram at the Murphy family's 2021 Karbullah sale at their Goondiwindi property.

Brett and Virginia Elliott, Belfast Investments, Winton, repeated their $9000 purchase of last year, outlaying the same amount for the second top-priced poll ram of the sale.

The Little family of Noorama paid the top price for Mt Ascot's horned Merinos at the annual sale, making their intentions clear by buying the first ram in the catalogue for $5000.

They also paid $4000, twice, later in the sale, and outlaid an average of $2173 for 30 rams in all.

The overall sale result included 87 of 90 rams sold at auction, or a 96 per cent clearance, and an average price of $1962 was slightly down on the 2023 outcome of 100pc of 144 rams sold for an average of $2156.

However, this year's result was still welcomed by Mt Ascot stud principal Nigel Brumpton, who acknowledged the tough year the industry had been through.

He said eight of their regular clients weren't there on Wednesday, for various reasons, including a decision to leave the industry, but he urged buyers to look beyond that to their bottom line.

"The Merino ewe is leaving cattle and Dorpers for dead when you do the figures," he said, adding that the result showed there was still plenty of optimism in the industry.

Speaking from his rain-sodden property at Cobar, Tambua's stud principal Michael Evans said he'd given his agent instructions to go to $10,000 for the ram he had his eye on, which he would now add to his stud operation.

It's the fourth ram he's purchased from Jolly Jumbuck, saying he generally liked that they came from a similar climate to his own, despite Queensland being summer-centric and NSW being winter-centric.

"When they come here they just do," he said.

"I also like that they have a very successful commercial operation at Cunnamulla, which is similar in conditions to us."

Mr Evans said it was the ram's shape, style and size that appealed, plus the fact it had produced some top figures in a paddock environment.

The young ram was sired by 0031, whose semen has been sold Australia-wide, and was offered a fibre diameter of 18.9 microns and a greasy fleece weight figure in the top 5pc of ASBV percentiles, and he weighed 98.5kg.

The Brumptons thought enough of him to reserve 200 semen straws for their own use, and Nigel Brumpton said he was a complete animal.

"He's a modern-day dual purpose sheep," he said.

Brett Elliott said as well as looking for size and a decent micron, he'd been after rams that offered his Winton breeding operation different bloodlines to work with.

His first purchase was by a Manunda sire and the other was by a Moorundie semen sire.

Jolly Jumbuck sold 34 of its 36 rams offered, averaging $2235. In 2023, it averaged $2295.

All but one of Mt Ascot's 54 rams sold on Wednesday, for a $1786 average, compared to a $2057 average last year.

The top price of $5000 was down from the $6000 paid by the Little family last year.

Aaron Little said they had been buying Mt Ascot rams for more than 20 years, partly because the Brumptons were very strong on type.

"They are woolgrowers first, and we've always bought them for their frame," he said.

"Being Queensland-bred is another point in their favour too."

Their top purchase was a grandson of Mt Ascot Pat, who had the distinction of winning two Queensland State Sheep Show supreme exhibit honours in succession, and they described his grandson as a massive ram.

"There's a reason he was shedded, the genetics are there," Mr Little said. "He's got a very low micron with a huge wool cut."

The ram had a 17.8-micron fibre diametre and weighed 122kg.

Nigel Brumpton said his temperament was a strong selling point, along with his safe, white wool.

Among the volume buyers were Scott Pegler, Monler, Eromanga, outlaying an average of $1090 for 11 Mt Ascot rams, and Heath Kirby, Mundalee, St George, who bought 11 Jolly Jumbuck rams, each for the $1000 base price.

Lucas Pastoral Co, Cliffdale, Wyandra, bought seven Mt Ascot rams for an average of $1114, while AS Ferguson, Ingie, Dirranbandi, bought seven Jolly Jumbuck rams for an average of $1171.

The Crook-Kings at Glenorie, Morven, loaded six Mt Ascot rams for the trip home, buying them for an average of $1466.

Barcaldine's Alexander family averaged $2733 for three Jolly Jumbuck rams, and Glenshaw Partnership at Tara paid an average $1166 for three Mt Ascot rams.

Other buyers included Robbie O'Toole of St George, David Sisson, Glenene, Guyra, NSW, and new clients PR, CE and RE Ivey, also of Guyra, who bought four Jolly Jumbuck rams for an average of $2200.