Strathcona Merinos and Poll Merinos stud, Carngham, has been dispersed and its principal Sandy Jelbart was pleased and relieved that the final sale went well yesterday.
“Everything has gone pretty well today; the lambs and all the Polls sold well,” Mr Jelbart said. The Poll stud was registered in the past year, but the traditional stud has been registered for 25 years and represents 35 years of breeding and has been renowned for heavy cutting, soft handling wool.
A large crowd withstood the heat and blustering wind, with most of the competition coming from Victorian stud breeders, with a few interstate accounts active.
“The way we catalogued them meant that some commercial breeders could have a craic too,” he said.
A pen of 23 one year-old Kamarooka Park Poll blood ewes kicked off the sale with a bang, and was eventually knocked down for $380 a head to Sam Burbury, Inglewood Merino stud, Oatlands. Mr Burbury also purchased the second pen, 25 1yo Willandra Poll ewes, for $275; as well as a pen of seven AI Bundaleer Poll lambs, paying the respective sale top price for ewe lambs at $172 each and two ram lambs at $410 each.
These purchases will provide the foundation of Mr Burbury’s venture to establish a Poll Merino stud. Mr Burbury has used Starthcona horned rams in the past and had “always been impressed by how they bred” and he and agent Damian Meaburn, Roberts Merino specialist, admired the Strathcona’s Poll offering when they inspected the animals a fortnight ago.
Mr Burbury said the dispersal provided a good opportunity to get foundation stock to help service the growing demand for Poll Merinos.
Older Poll ewes made $145 to $250.
The Poll lambs, of both sexes, also sold well. For the ewe lambs, a pen of 30 Kamarooka Park Poll blood made $100; 33 Willandra Poll blood $98 and 17 Willandra Poll/Kamarooka Park blood $70. For the ram lambs, Kamarooka Park Poll blood made up to $108 for a pen of seven, and other pens made $55-$80.
In the horned offering, 1yo ewes sold to $225, which was paid by commercial woolgrower and prime lamb producer Stuart Ellis, Brewster.
“I’ve bought rams off Sandy for three years and today I bought some young ewes and rams. I’ve always admired Sandy’s sheep and why would we go all over the country when sheep this good are just five miles down the road? It’s a shame to see him go,” Mr Ellis said.
Other 1yo horned ewes made $195-$220.
Older horned ewes made $105-$180, with that high-price being paid by Rodwells’ Brent Flood acting on the behalf of Steve and Lisa Harrison, Bindawarra Merino stud, Sale.
An account through Landmark Cootamundra, NSW, secured the top-priced horned lambs of both sexes – paying $160 for a pen of 40 ewe lambs and $205 for 12 Yarrawonga blood ram lambs.
To finish the open cry auction, seven stud sires were offered, topping at $3100 for a majestic, big Yarrawonga ram. The Willandra Poll and Kamarooka Park Poll rams both fetched $1600.
Mr Jalbert said he was “happy and relieved” after the sale. He has sold the farm and is looking forward to “doing a lot less” than he has been but is sure he will remain involved in the industry, possibly through sheep classing.