Winrae Dorpers mark 25 years in the game with on-property sale return

It also marked a return to an on-property sale for Winrae - the first in five years and the first at their Bundarra property after the Pagetts moved to the area almost three years ago.

At auction, 35 of 46 rams sold to a top of $9000 to average $2471 and six of 10 stud ewes sold to a top of $2500 to average $1900. Another two rams and two stud ewes sold privately straight after the sale.

Bidders came from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

The top-priced ram, Winrae 22-5335, was sold to Justin and Lorroi Kirkby, Amarula Dorpers, Gravesend - who held their own on-property sale three weeks ago - for $9000.

The September-2022 drop had Australian Sheep Breeding Values of +0.35 post-weaning fat depth, +1.32 maternal weaning weight and post-weaning eye muscle depth of +1.4.

The Kirkbys bought another ram, Winrae 22-5439, for $5000.

Both rams had Amarula bloodlines which is something the Kirkbys were looking for.

"That genetic linkage, we know it will work with our genetics," Mrs Kirkby said.

Amarula are about to join 700 stud ewes which is why they were in the market for more rams and both of these Winrae rams ticked plenty of boxes for the Kirkbys.

"We were looking for carcase traits, good length, good width, good long rump, lots of meat and good muscling," Mrs Kirkby said.

"Structurally, he's really sound, really good in the legs and feet and he's got a good pedigree," Mr Kirkby said.

"We're just about to join 700 stud ewes so we just needed rams.

"Because its an outcross that's got linkage with Amarula in the pedigree, it's a safe bet, we can use that over any of our ewes."

The second top-priced ram sold for $6000 to Jake Hepburn, Yellymong Dorpers, Swan Hill, Vic, via AuctionsPlus.

Winrae 215101 had ASBVs of +2 maternal weaning weight, -0.37 birth weight and +0.74 post-weaning eye muscle depth.

Two ewes sold for the top of $2500 at the sale.

One, Winrae 225434, was bought by Wayne and Karen Dingle, Smit Dorpers, Mungallala, Qld.

They were looking for type five ewes with ClassiMates scores of 10.

The Dingles bought four ewes in total, which all fit that criteria, to the top of $2500 and an average of $1725.

They are repeat clients who keep buying Winrae bloodlines for some key reasons.

"Their thickness, their structure and their good breeding ability," Mr Dingle said.

The other top-priced ewe, Winrae 225214, was bought by Richard Goddard, The Brookshed, Duncans Creek, near Tamworth.

The Brookshed bought two ewes to an average of $2250 and one ram for $3000.

Mr Goddard has a small property where he grazes his sheep and is looking to start his own stud.

He eventually plans to buy a bigger property out west where he can run some larger numbers.

Volume buyers on the day included Mirage Land and Water, Cunnamulla, Qld.

The operation purchased 10 rams to a top of $3000 twice to average $2025.

Budda Station Pastoral, Cobar, bought eight rams to a top of $2500 and an average of $1937.

Mrs Pagett was happy with the result in their return to on-property sales and their first at Bundarra after the stud had previously been based at Bourke and Canowindra.

"Quite happy with the result, it has been a tougher market lately - not everyone's had the rain," Mrs Pagett said.

"It's good to have the support - it is our first sale here at Bundarra."

Mr Pagett agreed.

"It's the first sale we've had for five years but we've been in the game for 25 years," Mr Pagett said.

"I was happy, the best rams sold. It was just the tailenders that didn't."

Reflecting on their quarter of a century breeding Dorpers, Mrs Pagett said it's been incredible how far things have come.

"We've become judges and inspectors along the way, Nick and myself, Mrs Pagett said.

"We're just really passionate about the breed and it's been great to see the uptake in Australia over the past 25 years and the they're still going strong and positive.

"When it's your passion and it's what you live and breathe, its really exciting to see it spread around."

The Pagetts thanked their clients for their support as well as their selling agents, led by David Russell, Nutrien Russell, Cobar - who is also a main client for Winrae - along with auctioneer John Settree, Nutrien Stud Stock, Dubbo.

AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.