FROM a young age Ian Micheel took a shine to breeding Border Leicesters, and ahead of the Campaspe River dispersal last Thursday, he was proud of what his family had achieved with the stud.
"I can remember I was about seven holding sheep at the Melbourne Royal, and I was showing with Sir George Starritt, and he gave me some tips on how to hold the sheep," he said.
"And that's the spirit of breeding with Border Leicesters."
Stud breeders came from NSW, South Australia and Victoria to bid on the 266 Border Leicesters from Campaspe River's 60-year-old gene pool, where 63 per cent were sold under the hammer and the remaining balance privately.
Buyers had often earmarked the same elite ewes from each drop, which pushed the price for stud females beyond $600 several times.
A 2013-drop ewe by Campaspe River Gerry 2nd sold to $675, eventually knocked down to Black Gate Border Leicesters, Wycheproof.
The Turnbull family of Black Gate also purchased the top 2012-drop ewe for $475.
Overall, 56 of the 60 2013-drop ewes averaged $316.
Of the 2012-drop 32 of 45 ewes found buyers av $243.
Buyers were even more impressed with the class of 2011, where 14 of the 20 ewes sold to $600, av $298.
Riverina stud Hovell, who also breed Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks, have their sights on large-scale Borders, and secured the top priced lot on the final hammer of the day.
The Burrumbuttock, NSW, stud purchased two of the four stud rams offered - Campaspe River Banjo 3rd and Campaspe River Huey 3rd - for $2000 and $3700 respectively.
Hovell principal Rod Frohling said the stud had been using rams from the Micheel family for the past 20 years and the pair of rams would complement the size and length of sheep in their stud.
He also purchased three of the top 2013-drop ewes for $550 a head.
South Australian buyer BF Herbertson, Lexton, purchased in bulk from the younger lines, including 29 2013-drop ewes av $242.
TJ Munro from Taronga Park, Hynam, SA, also purchased in bulk, taking home 24 ewes of mixed ages; while HF Richardson agent Tony Nevins purchased 26 ewes av $204 on behalf of Hothorpe Grange stud, Mount Mercer.
Mr Micheel was pleased with the both the number and price the ewes sold for given the current market.
"I wouldn't have expected to sell as many, but holding the sale at this time of the year meant buyers could take the ewes home and join them to their choice of rams," he said.
"It was a good time for us to sell and a good time for other people to buy into our sheep because they're in good quality and buyers got blood lines that are over 60 years old."
The Micheels will continue to farm at the Tongala property.