MERINO breeders on the lookout for quality rams at affordable rates are encouraged to attend this year's Great Southern Supreme Merino (GSSM) sale to be held in Canberra later this month.
Ninety-one Merino and Poll Merino rams will be offered on Monday, January 21, with the auction to get under way at 11am.
There will be a mixture of superfine, fine and strong/medium-wool rams offered.
GSSM committee president Patrick Davis, Demondrille Merino stud, Harden, NSW, said the sale should be strong, with a good rise in the wool market evident before Christmas and wool futures currently showing promise.
"The only thing that would hold the sale back is the mutton market, but this will be a good opportunity for woolgrowers to secure top-end stud rams at reasonable prices," Mr Davis said.
"There are always the few rams that make exceptional prices but it is certainly not a sale solely for stud producers; the majority of the rams are sold for prices similar to on-property sales."
For the first time, all sale rams will be weighed on the Saturday before the sale and weights will be displayed.
"Having the weight of the rams will give buyers another tool to use when selecting rams," Mr Davis said.
"In the past we were unable to weigh the rams as many of the big stud rams were just too large, but we have since purchased a suitable scales."
A prelude to the sale will be the annual GSSM field days and show.
The field days will kick off the three day event on Friday, January 18, with 10 studs set to open their gates to the public.
The field days will run from 9am to 5pm, with Allan Dawson, Winyar Merino stud, and Michael and Jane Corkihill, Grassy Creek Merino stud, to display their sheep at Taringo, Boorowa, NSW.
Charlie, Pip and Jono Merriman will have Merrignee and Koonwarra Merino stud sheep on display at Little Range, Boorowa.
Wal and George Merriman, Merry-villle Merino stud, will showcase their sheep at Geegullalong, Boor-owa, in association with their annual stud and flock ewe sale at 1pm.
Patrick and Andrew Davis, Demondrille Merino stud, Harden, NSW, will hold their field day on-property at Fairview.
In the Yass district, Malcolm Peake will hold the Bogo Merino stud open day on-farm at Bookham, NSW; Keith McGrath, Billa Burra Burra Merino stud, Bowning, NSW, and the Walker family, Woolaroo Merino stud, Yass Plains, Yass, NSW, will also welcome visitors through their gates.
The following day, 91 Merino and Poll Merino rams from 55 studs (34 Merino studs and 21 Poll Merino studs) will go head-to-head in the GSSM show.
There will be 56 show classes with 354 entries across the three wool categories: superfine, fine and strong/medium.
Casting their eyes over some of the best-bred Merino stud stock in Australia will be superfine judge John Barty, Beverley Merino stud, Redesdale; fine-wool judge Garry Seaman, Lochness Merino stud, Crookwell, NSW; and medium/strong-wool judge, Russell Jones, Darriwell Merino stud, Trundle, NSW.
Judging will continue at 8am on the Sunday, with champions to receive their ribbons at about 4pm.
Another addition to this year's GSSM will be the introduction of a junior handler competition.
Entries will be taken on the Saturday morning, with entrants to be 16 years or under.
Mr Davis said the junior handler competition was introduced in an effort to interest the next generation in the breed.
