A NEW Riverina record has been set at the annual September Hay Sheep sale where the opening pen made $237.
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Bidding started at $200 on the pen was account Helen and Greg Rogers, from Yarto at Booligal, March/April 09-drop, Alma blood, August shorn, and went to the Berryman family, of Mathoura.
The Berrymans also bought the first pen last year at just $122.
A second run of September/October 09-drop, Alma blood, August shorn, sheep sold for $219.
An additional six pens in the sale of about 15,000 head proceeded to make between $200 and $212.
No young ewes at the sale made less than $190 which caused many to comment that the market was the dearest they'd ever seen across the board.
Mr Rogers said he thought the challenge would have been to reach $200, so he was pleasantly surprised when the bidding opened at that amount. Their pen last year made just $132, giving them an increase of $105 in the space of a year.
"It's been a long time between drinks for Merino breeders, but pay day has arrived."
The previous record at Hay of $178 has stood for 22 years.
Aged ewes varied from $150 to $176 and Merino wether lambs unshorn topped at $100.
