*24 of 45 rams sold to $11,000, av $5000
TOPPING the 2019 Australasian Dorset Championships sale at Bendigo was a thrill in what had been a tough year for NSW breeders the Douglas family, Woolomin.
The stud, Abelene Park, sold the top-priced ram at $11,000 as well as another at $10,000 and a third at $3000.
Marshall Douglas from the stud said the property, near Tamworth, NSW, was drought-affected but the rams that went to the show and sale had been in excellent condition and had performed very well.
Mr Douglas said all three lots were by Yentrac 169-11.
"The sire has been really good for us, he just clicked with our sheep," he said.
The ram weighed 160 kilograms, had a fat depth of 10 millimetres and an eye muscle area of 49 square centimetres.
It was bought by a new buyer to Abelene, the Ireland family, Bygo Poll Dorset stud, Tullibigeal, NSW.
Two reached the second top price of $10,000, including one of Abelene Park's.
The ram was Lot 2 and sold to the Oliver family, Englewood Park, Inverleigh, a repeat buyer.
The second ram to make $10,000 was sold by the Mitchell family's Rene stud, Culcairn, NSW, going to Deby Pyle's Glendale stud, Takalarup, WA.
Ms Pyle said the ram would come out of quarantine and go in with a mob of selected ewes.
Doug Mitchell said it had been a really good sale and show.
Mr Mitchell said the results were great reward for the effort they had made to get their sheep out to let people see them.
"We went to Dubbo, Canberra, Hamilton, Bendigo and Adelaide," he said.
The stud also sold a ram for $7500 to Woorayl View stud, Leongatha.
Next best price was $8500 for a ram from the Glenore stud of Peter and Gil Cain, Carisbrook.
The ram went to the NSW-based Armdale stud of Garry Armstrong, Marrar.
"It was great to have our genetics going to such a high profile stud," Mr Cain said.
The ram was by Hillden 863-16.
It weighed 134kg and had a fat depth of 10mm and EMA of 46.5sqcm.
The Frost family, Hillden, Bannister, NSW, offered three rams that sold to a top of $6500 and another at $6000.
The top ram was sold on AuctionsPlus while the second ram went to C Westphal, Boyup Brook, WA.
A ram by Killara stud of the Iles family, Sorrell, Tasmania, sold for $6500 going to NL Geue, Kingston, SA.
