Glenpaen
Total clearance of 100 Merino and Poll Merinos rams sold to $4500 thrice, av $2321
GLENPAEN stud principal Rod Miller described the stud’s 20th sale in one word: unbelievable.
The Brimpaen stud sold all 100 rams offered and then an additional 22 after the main sale. The family also achieved its highest average.
“It’s my 20th sale and best sale ever by about $250 in terms of the average price," Mr Miller said.
“Last year I thought it was good, but this year was even better.”
The sale topped at $4500 thrice for rams that Mr Miller said all had impressive body size, wool quality and wool cut. The first ram to reach the sale high was lot 3, a Merino ram by Glenpaen's 2014 Victorian Ram of the Year winner 'Hazza'. Its fleece measured 17.6 micron, 2.8M standard deviation (SD), 15.9 per cent co-efficient of variation (CV) and 99.7 comfort factor (CF) and spinning fineness (SP) of 16.5M.
Kym and Leonie Sambell purchased the ram for the sheep operation at Mullinger, Benayeo, which they run with daughter Emily and son-in-law Travis Langford.
Mr Sambell, who has been buying Glenpaen rams for some 15 years, said the ram was very structurally correct and he liked “everything about him” including its sirey head, body shape and good feet.
Mr Sambell said they bought a couple of good sires each year and use them over professionally classed ewes to breed their own rams.
Lot 4 was also knocked down for $4500 to another repeat Glenpaen client. The Merino ram was by a Charinga Dan son and its fleece measured 18.2M,3 SD, 16.5 CV, 99.7 CF and 17.1 SP.
The third ram to reach the equal top price was the AI ram in lot 51. The Charinga Dan son’s fleece was 17.2, 2.7 SD, 15.6 CV, 100 CF and 16 SF.
It was one of four rams purchased by Rutlands Pastoral Company, Derrinallum. Their buying agent John McGrath, Landmark, said the ram was a really well built ram with a heap of wool and impressive figures.
Another highlight of the sale was the $3000 raised for the Wimmera Cancer Centre by the donation of the proceeds of lot 1. This 17.3M ram was purchased by Bulngherin Pastoral Company, Beaufort, who was also the biggest volume buyer, securing a total of 15 rams.
Other volume buyers were Mt Glen Farms, Joel South, with 10, and Verolie Pastoral, Brimpaen, with nine.
Mr Miller said he’d always focused on off wool cut and body size. The sale draft av 18.8M and 91kg at 16 months.
“Having said that, I couldn’t believe how well the stock held up during the wet conditions.”