* 9 out of 13 Australian Hampshire Down rams sold to $2,700, av $2,055
* 40 out of 42 Australian Hampshire Down ewes sold to a top of $2,900, av $1,231
Growing interest in Australian Hampshire Down breed is at fever pitch if the results for the breed's first national sale is any indication.
The Australian Hampshire Down Breeders Association (AHDBA) was held via AuctionsPlus this past Saturday, with 10 participating studs from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania selling lots.
AHDBA president Kane Hildred said went beyond expectations.
"I don't think we ever thought that [the sale] could do as well as what it did," he said.
"To be honest, it went off with the ewes especially selling extremely well."
"People want to know about [Hampshire Downs] and from what was sold in this sale, it looks like three or four new stud registrations will be added to the association."
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Mr Hildred, Boonong Park, Mortlake, also sold the top ram of the sale, Lot 3 Boonong Park 210007, for $2700.
That ram was a May drop and AI-born May born and was bought by Victor Coble, Yass.
"We loved him from when he was born and was always the favourite of our ram lambs, and so we offered him thinking he was one of our better rams, and he just said that great sire, great carcass right through and good breed type," he said.
"We thought he really could go on and do the job great for somebody else."
The top-priced ewe was Lot 31, Burrandool 211013, sold from Aurora Park & Burrandool Studs, for $2900.
Stud principal of Aurora Park Matthew Hill said "sheep are going everywhere really".
"The top price ewe was born from AI to one of my rams that I previously owned and sold to another stud, and she had great intramuscular fat breeding values," he said.
"That really dominated the sale results, to me.
"[Many people] were chasing stock with those high breeding values, especially intramuscular fat and meat quality."
Mr Hill also said new interest was very pleasing form many Australian Hampshire Down breeders.
"The sale went for an hour before the timer set in, and I'd sold half of my lots in the first few minutes," he said and
"I thought 'oh, that's an okay result,' and then as we got closer to the end, they all sold but then they kept going higher and higher in price, so an unbelievable sale, really."
Mr Hill sold that top priced ewe to Chris Bunny, Minjah, and the third top priced ewe to him, Lot 18, Aurora Park 199008, for $2750.
Buyers from Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland logged into AuctionsPlus for the sale.
