Roseville Park record strong sale after year off

The stud offered 50 Merino and Poll Merino rams, and sold all but three, recording what stud principal Matthew Coddington said was the stud’s best ever Victorian sale average, $1681.

Mr Coddington said it had been a tough two years at the stud’s Dubbo, NSW, property.

“In the last 12 months, we had 45 inches of rain, a cyclone, an eight-week heat wave where the average temperature was 40 degrees, and 11 floods,” Mr Coddington stud.

“Plus Dad was moving farms last year, so we just logistically couldn’t conduct the sale, but we’re back, and plan to keep coming back.”

He said the stud, who also conduct an on-property sale, and sell at numerous multi-vendor sales, offer rams at a Victorian sale because they are well-suited to the environment.

“We know the sheep are suited to this environment, they’ve got good constitution, and bright, white wool due to our summer rainfall environment, which also makes them good for worm resistance,” he said.

The top price of $3250 was reached for Lot 1, a Merino ram who recorded fleece measurements of 16.7 micron, 3 standard deviation, 18.2 co-efficient of variation, and 99.5 per cent comfort factor.

It was bought by return client Will Dennis, Warncoort.

“He is very stylish and very free in the wool, and has a very sirey outlook,” Mr Dennis said.

“We’ve been buying for five years, and they’ve always done well, helping to increase our fleece weights and body weights.”

He said given he is a young ram, he would be joined to maiden ewes, in mid-December.

There wasn’t a massive buying gallery in attendance, just 14 registered buyers, but many bought in bulk, meaning the clearance rate sat at a nice 94 per cent.

The biggest volume buyers were Duncan and Jamie Macgugan, ‘Langowan’, Branxholme, who bought 12, to a top of $2750, av $1625.

The Macgugans are return clients of about 15 years, and said the rams have “fabulous wool and great frame”.

Duncan Macgugan said they bought more than normal this year.

“We normally buy about six or seven, but we’re planning on joining a few more Merinos to Merinos this year,” Mr Macgugan said.

He said their top-priced purchase, Lot 26, had “beautiful wool”, measuring 16.7 micron.

Barry Peterson, ‘Willow Grange’, Newstead, bought rams from Roseville Park for the first time, taking home four to a top of $2500, av $2000.

“We have been getting rams with Roseville Park crosses in them for many years, but this time thought we’d come straight to the stud, to try and get a bit of high bred vigour,” Mr Peterson said.

One of his four purchases was a polled ram, his first ever polled purchase.

“It doesn’t bother me whether they’re polled or not, if it’s a good ram, and has good wool, we’ll get it,” he said.

Mr Coddington’s father’s stud Coddington Uandry, also offered 20 Poll Merino rams, and sold four, to a top price of $2250, for Lot 1, av $1125.

Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said the Roseville Park sale was “solid”.

“They’ve had a very strong influence in the Merino industry, it’s really good to have them back,” Mr Milne said.