Bendigo Sheep and Wool show: 3500km trip for WA breeders

There were no broad ribbons for one WA exhibitor, but the big trip boosted business at a time when his state’s sheep industry is “under siege”.

It’s a long haul for plenty of breeders at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo but none more so than for Phil Jones.

Mr Jones was part of the West Australian contingent of breeders who made the big trip across the Nullarbor to bring Merinos to compete in the premier sheep event in the nation.

His Belka Valley stud at Bruce Rock is 250km from the WA transport drop-off point for all the rams at Narrogin, and add to that the trip from that point to Bendigo, and each of his rams has clocked up almost 3500km just to be at the show.

But only two of the three rams he brought across will go back; one has been sold in a private deal negotiated after the young sire was exhibited.

While the two-tooth strong wool Merino ram finished just out of the placings, its sale within a few hours is exactly the reason why Phil and his fellow WA competitors make the long trip to Bendigo each year.

The 21.1-micron ram, an autumn-2022 drop, sold to South Australian stud North Cowie at Warooka, operated by Joe Murdoch, a fellow competitor who liked what he saw in the Belka Valley ram.

Buyer Joe Murdoch of North Cowie at Warooka in South Australia with vendor Phil Jones from Bruce Rock WA with and the Belka Valley Poll Merino ram, which was sold in a private deal after being exhibited at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. Picture: Zoe Phillips

“We are competing at Bendigo too but we also take the chance to look for genetics while we are here and I liked this ram and asked if he was for sale,” Mr Murdoch said.

“He had good gutsy strong wool, is good on his feet, is well balanced.

“He will go into our stud and possibly into an artificial insemination program.”

Sales into other studs reinforce that the Belka Valley flock is on track, Mr Jones said, but the basis of his business is commercial sales.

Phil Jones from Bruce Rock WA and his Poll Merino ram that sold privately after being shown at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The pressure being put on WA sheep producers, who are facing the end of the live sheep export trade, means Merino ram breeders are also under pressure.

“We sell about 130 rams a year and I’ve had clients talking to me about selling not only their older age ewes (5½ -year-olds) but also their 4½-year-olds so they are not so exposed if the live sheep trade stops,” Mr Jones said.

“Then there are those who might be 80 per cent cropping and 20 per cent sheep and they can easily ramp up their cropping because they already have the gear.

“It feels like the WA sheep industry is really under siege.”

But there are opportunities, Mr Jones said, for producers in the eastern states to look west for genetics, which he said would be selling at more competitive prices.