FOR a moment, the rise in the wool job injected some much-needed excitement into the industry, and many people are crossing their fingers it will be enough to generate some top results at the upcoming Sheepvention ram sale on August 4.
"The wool job did get a bit of a spark there for a little while, so we are hoping the ram sale reflects that," sale convenor Gordon Last said.
"But I think that no matter what happens – the good sheep will always sell well."
This year's catalogue includes 365 rams from 63 studs, a slightly reduced number from the 2014 auction.
There will be 73 'pens of five' all up in the competition.
Mr Last said the quality of the animals on offer was high this year, and that people looking to improve flock genetics would find plenty of gems to take home.
He said the event at Sheepvention was extremely unique, because it provided one platform where 350-plus Merino rams went under the hammer.
Elders' Ross Milne agreed, adding the sale provided a real "spectacle" for the crowd.
Putting the fluctuating wool job aside, he predicted the ram sale to produce comparable results to last year.
"My thoughts are we will see a very similar result to the 2014 sale," he said.
"I'm expecting good quality sheep to make good prices."
In 2014, the sale average lifted by $178 a head to $2350, while 329 of the 389 rams on offer found buyers.
The top price hit $22,000 for a Poll Merino ram from Pemcaw, Dunedoo, NSW, which was snapped up by a syndicate. The Dohne section av $1400 across the 25 lots sold, and Lucky Downs Dohne, Bathurst, NSW, sold the top-priced ram for $4000 to a commercial buyer.
Mr Milne said he had already inspected some of this year's animals.
"Certainly, I've been out to see some of the rams in this area, and the quality will be equal to if not better than we've seen in the past few years," he said.
His colleagues were also excited about what the NSW-based studs will put forward.
And while anticipation was mounting in the lead up to sale at Hamilton, Mr Milne said many producers in the region were nervous about how the season was panning out.
It remains to be seen how this factor will influence the sale result.
"It's going to be so important that we get good winter rain and spring rains, because that is going to be the determining factor in ram sales moving forward," he said.
The majority of sales are set to be held throughout September and October.
"We are in that rebuilding stage with the flock, but we do need rain, feed and water to keep that growth happening," Mr Milne said.
Despite the uncertainty, he said stud breeders remained hopeful of solid clearances at Sheepvention, and a good selling season ahead.
Shaking up the competition
THE Pen of Five showdown is shaping up to be interesting in the lead up to this year's Sheepvention, where organisers have scrapped the traditional category awards.
The competition has been simplified, with the program now including just the top five pens.
Judges will hand-pick the top five pens on Monday August 3, prior to the ram sale on the Tuesday, and those pens will then be officially placed in front of the event's crowd.
The winners will be unveiled prior to the official opening of Sheepvention at 12pm, with the sought-after Gordon Uebergang Perpetual Trophy going to the top place-getter.
The event, which is sponsored by Virbac Animal Health and ANZ Bank, will see the trophy winner receive $1000 of Virbac product and a $500 cash prize.
