Famous South Australian stud cracks on-property Merino record

A Merino ram has sold for an astonishing $88,000 at Hallett, marking a new on-farm record.

Collinsville general manager Tim Dalla, Elders Ben Finch and Tony Wetherall, George Millington, stud principal and Tony Brooks, Brooks Merino Services with $88,000 ram. Credit: Tegan Buckley, Mallee Marketing

Collinsville stud, Hallett has relived its glory days by recording an Australian on-property Merino record of $88,000 this week.

The 21.9 micron Poll Merino, Imperial 200033, fetched the price on Tuesday, soaring past the previous national high of $81,000 paid in 2016 for a ram from the Willandra stud in the NSW Riverina.

Two NSW studs, Lach River, at Darby Falls and Westray, Peak Hill, won the bidding battle on this week’s Collinsville ram.

In 1988 Collinsville secured its legedary status in the Australian record books when it sold a Merino for a world record of $450,000.

Meanwhile, not to be left behind by other outstanding livestock sales, prime ram sales have reached some impressive rates this spring.

Valma Poll Dorsets, Tasmania sold a ram earlier this week for $41,000 to Kinella stud, Canowindra, NSW.

A well-known, newer, Victoria stud was also among the high achievers last week.

Gamadale Australian White stud, based in Lascelles in northwest Victoria, achieved a top of $23,000 and an equally impressive $13,920 average for 12 stud rams with an additional 110 flock rams averaging $4467.

“The whole sale was well above our expectations,” stud co-owner Ben Rowney said.

He said he had noticed increased inquiry for their rams over the past few years, with this year marking their fifth on-property sale.

“Last year our top-priced stud ram was around $13,500 and we averaged just over that for the stud rams this year,” Mr Rowney said.

Across the border at Karoonda, Wingamin White Suffolks set a new state record for South Australia last week with their $32,000 top-priced ram, despite a tough season in the region.

“Covid probably went in our favour. It forced us to go to AuctionsPlus and have everything on-farm,” stud principal Clive Shillabeer said.

In the past, Wingamin have spread their stud ram offering out over shows and multi-vendor sales, but with many events cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions all stud and commercial rams were offered on farm this year.

Overall, Wingamin sold 118 rams for a complete clearance to a top of $32,000 and average of $2123.

The record-breaking sale was a testament to the quality draft of rams put forward as a tough season weighed on many stud clients in the region.

“We have not had a rain event of double digits this whole year. I think 8.5mm was the maximum we’ve had,” Mr Shillabeer said.

“But the sheep we breed perform exceptionally well in a harsh climate.”

Poll Dorsets have continued to be a standout prime ram breed in this year’s sales, proving their value as leading terminal sires.

Armdale Poll Dorset stud, at Marrar in NSW, sold all 101 Poll Dorset rams to a top of $4000 and average of $2136, a record top and average price for the stud, while Narranmore Poll Dorsets at Elong Elong in NSW, sold 100 rams to top $5400 and average $2950, up from last year’s average of $1608.