Live bidding should open up this year’s Hamilton Sheepvention ram sale to a national audience, according to president Gordon Last.
Mr Last said he hoped the Elite Livestock Auctions live bidding sale would lead to an even bigger, and better, show.
“It will be live streamed from around Australia, anyone can bid from their phone, anywhere in Australia - the auction continues as normal and people in Hamilton can see, on actual sale screens, who they are bidding against online,” Mr Last said.
“We just wanted to get some more exposure for the vendors, there were buyers who couldn’t quite get to Sheepvention - and get the opportunity to bid on the rams – but who were out there, looking for Merinos.”
Elite has developed an app, which can be downloaded for both iPhone and Android devices.
Last year’s top-priced ram was sold by Robert Harding of Glendonald stud, Nhill for $21,000, to Michael Green, Boudjah Merinos, Cooma and Michael Hedger, Snowy Plains Merinos, Berridale, NSW.
There was a total sale price of $760,000.
We just wanted to get some more exposure for the vendors, there were buyers who couldn’t quite get to Sheepvention and get the opportunity to bid on the rams but were out there, looking for Merinos.
- Gordon Last, Sheepvention president
“Vendors can have confidence we are moving with the times,” he said.
“Live bidding is big in Queensland, they’ve done a few store sales and we watched a fair few bull sales, so we have got a bit of confidence from that.”
Mr Last said all the major studs would be represented, selling 70 pens of five rams each, at the Hamilton and Western District Sheep Show.
He said 61 studs had registered to exhibit and sell sheep, with more than 840 sheep on display.
Mr Last said this year were would be 17 breeds on show, with the inclusion of the Wiltshire Horn.
He said the Corriedale was included in this year’s show, as it reflected the change in the sheep and wool industry, with many producers chasing the prime lamb market.
Convenor Shirley Fosters said while the Corriedales would only have a small presence, the calibre, performance and potential of the breed should not be underestimated.
Last year, South Australian stud Orrie Cowie stud won the coveted Most Successful Merino Exhibitor award at Hamilton.
The show is on August 1-2, at the Hamilton Showgrounds.
For further information, go to www.hamiltonshowgrounds.com.au
