*8 of 34 rams sold to $1000, av $889
*9 of 18 ewes sold to $1000, av $550
IN WHAT was an unusual result for the sheep industry of late, buying interest was significantly subdued at the Corriedale Blue Ribbon Sheep Sale, held at the Ballarat Showgrounds last week.
Seven studs offered a total of 34 Corriedale rams, but only nine sold, averaging $889.
The top-priced ram of the sale made $1000, which was sold by Loddon Park Corriedale stud, Baringhup, to Murphy Grazing, Bombala, NSW.
In what was a positive for the sale, for the first time in the sale's history, Toolleen Corriedale stud, Toolleen, offered a selection of 18 ewes and sold nine of them, with one making $1000.
Toollen stud principal Bruce Hamblin said he was shocked with the $1000 price, an amount he believed was "unheard of" for a Corriedale ewe.
"She was a pretty handy ewe, and there were five or six like her," he said.
"She was a true Corriedale type."
Mr Hamblin said he aimed to breed "big sheep" and had been able to do so thanks to bloodlines from Quamby Plains and Loddon Park.
The ewe was purchased by Lordclyde Corriedale stud principal Tim Barry, Ullina, who was another vendor of the sale.
Mr Barry said the ewe had nice, bold, crimpy wool, and was a "real traditional type of Corriedale".
"She had all the true Corriedale features, with the black nose and black feet, and black feet are good for wet conditions," he said.
"She was just an all-round good sheep, with all the right Corriedale characteristics."
He said he hadn't bought from Toolleen before, but had been gifted ewes a few years ago when he was establishing the stud.
"They're good-doing sheep and I was keen to get more," he said.
He said the ewe would go into his small stud operation.
The stud is run alongside a commercial operation where he joins his own Corriedale rams to Merino ewes to breed a first-cross ewe.
Loddon Park stud principal and one of the organisers of the sale Peter Baker said he was really disappointed in the result of the sale.
"There were some new breeders that were there trying to sell, and unfortunately for them, the results weren't what we hoped they would be," Mr Baker said.
"It was bloody disappointing."
He said the rams on offer were of excellent quality.
"They were certainly stud-quality rams," he said.
"There wasn't a sheep here that shouldn't have been."
Joely Mitchell
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
Joely started her career at Stock & Land as a cadet journalist in 2016. She is now the editor of the paper.
