CHANGES to the popular Merino auction have increased interest of studs from Queensland and Western Australia who will now make the long-haul trip to the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.
Further representation from NSW was also expected with the sale being brought forward to now be hosted Sunday afternoon from the previously Monday event.
More than 100 rams are expected to be catalogued at this year’s sale with studs registered from across the country.
Landmark stud stock manager Andrew Sloan said the sale was expected to be “riveting”, following the changes to the event.
“With the sale now on the Sunday it should attract more interest from interstate vendors and being on a show day, the atmosphere should be great,” Mr Sloan said.
“What we’ve seen in the wool prices and sheep and lamb prices, there is plenty of confidence around and people looking for stud sires, so in that regard the sale results should be pretty good.”
Victorian Stud Merino Sheepbreeders' Association secretary Andrew Ternouth said the move was the result of feedback from interstate vendors and had been well accepted by studs involved.
“It means everything has to be pretty tight with how the show is run,” Mr Ternouth said.
Last year, a trial was achieved for the Merino judging to be complete by lunch on Sunday, to accommodate the sharing of the main shed.
With the event now incorporated in the main show activities, Mr Ternouth said organisers were expecting a crowd of attendees to watch the auctioneering.
With record prices being paid for wool and sheepmeat, vendors “had their fingers crossed” prices would exceed recent highs.
Last year it was NSW-based stud Langdene, Dundedoo, topped the sale at $15,000, paid by Womboin Station in Girilambone, NSW for a 2014-drop ram which was sashed grand champion fine wool ram in earlier judging.
The July 2014-drop ram was ET bred, sired by Langdene 11-0075 and out of leading ET donor ewe Langdene 07-0028.
Its wool measured 18.2 micron, 3.7 standard deviation (SD), 16.5 per cent coefficient of variation (CV), comfort factor (CF) 99.8pc, curvature score of 63 and spinning fineness 17.1.
Two other rams reached five digit prices last year, with both Borambil, Corowa and Merryville, Boorowa studs both selling Poll Merino rams for $10,000 each.
Australian Sheep Breeders' Association president Ross McGauchie said combining the sale with the show activities would ignite further competition in the hotly contested sale.
“We’re all hoping for a major success,” Mr McGauchie said.
Annabelle Cleeland
Annabelle Cleeland is Fairfax Media’s national sheep and wool writer. Annabelle joined the Fairfax team in 2012 to nurture her love of Australian agriculture. She began as the Victorian western district reporter at Stock & Land before taking on a senior position as a journalist reporting on all industries statewide. Annabelle’s appetite to report on issues which affect the sheep and wool industry has seen her travel to many parts of Australia and abroad. She is excited to spin industry yarns during a period of substantial demand for the sheepmeat and wool industries. Annabelle enjoys horse riding and climbing mountains, and is a lazy supporter of the Geelong Football Club.
Annabelle Cleeland is Fairfax Media’s national sheep and wool writer. Annabelle joined the Fairfax team in 2012 to nurture her love of Australian agriculture. She began as the Victorian western district reporter at Stock & Land before taking on a senior position as a journalist reporting on all industries statewide. Annabelle’s appetite to report on issues which affect the sheep and wool industry has seen her travel to many parts of Australia and abroad. She is excited to spin industry yarns during a period of substantial demand for the sheepmeat and wool industries. Annabelle enjoys horse riding and climbing mountains, and is a lazy supporter of the Geelong Football Club.
