Interstate demand from ram-buying clients in Western Australia, NSW and South Australia underpinned some of Victoria's best-performing stud sales in 2023.
Ram prices and auction clearances were unable to rival those records reported in 2022, as softening wool prices and the consequences of an El Nino outlook dented the confidence of buyers and vendors alike.
However, some studs managed to increase the number of rams offered, while some vendors recorded only a modest decline in their overall average.
Stock & Land has crunched the figures and analysed the data to showcase the best-performing Merino studs across the two states based on the average ram price at the end of each sale.
In order to qualify for Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2023, studs had to record a minimum 70 per cent clearance rate at the final knock of the gavel and offer a draft of 40 or more rams on sale day.
The criteria for the 2023 list was adjusted to allow studs with a 70pc clearance and higher to feature in the list, down from 75pc in 2022, to reflect the challenges studs faced at ram sales this year.
Profiles on the top 10 studs are listed below, and a table of the top 30 studs is at the bottom of this story.
Find out which studs ranked highly in Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2022 here.
1. Wallaloo Park, Marnoo
Sale average: $3752
Interstate bidders from four Australian states have pushed Wimmera stud Wallaloo Park into top spot on Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2023, a year after it polled second in the same competition.
The Marnoo stud sold rams to buyers in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and NSW to a top price of $18,000.
The stud sold 204 of 216 rams offered to record a clearance of 94pc, while the Marnoo stud's top-priced ram was bought by Jack Sykes, VHS Agriculture, Humula, NSW.
Wallaloo Park stud co-principal Trent Carter said there was a concerted effort to increase the number of rams in the October stud, which the stud has done for the past few years, and the results paid off.
Wallaloo Park stud was founded in 1978 and runs 1600 stud and 1200 commercial ewes.
2. Banavie, Marnoo
Sale average: $3664
Iconic Merino stud Banavie entered the record books in 2023 after selling Victoria's dearest ram for 2023.
The $30,000 Merino ram was purchased by the Wallis family, Glenlea Park Merino and Poll Merino stud, Pinnaroo, SA, and was one of 93 rams sold throughout the sale.
Banavie stud principal Tim Polkinghorne, Marnoo, said while averages were down, the sale was a "huge result".
Mr Polkinghorne's family purchased Banavie Merinos from the original owners, the McLennan family, in 2001.
The stud offered 100 rams in total at its spring sale, with the second top-priced ram knocked down to an undisclosed buyer for $26,000, and a $12,000 ram bought by the Maher family, Narromine, NSW.
3. Rock-Bank, Victoria Valley
Sale average: $3378
Victoria Valley stud Rock-Bank was elevated to third place after the Crawford family recorded an 82pc clearance rate and a top price of $10,000 twice at their September sale.
The stud made the jump from outside the top 10 in 2022 to one of the highest-ranking spots for Merino studs in Victoria and Tasmania in 2023 after they sold 39 rams to average $3378.
The stud is run by John and Rhonda Crawford and their family.
"This is the best lot of rams we've presented ... but the demand has exceeded expectations," Mr Crawfrord said after the sale.
The top-priced rams were bought by an undisclosed bidder from New England, NSW, and Phil Hartwich, Mount Challicum Merino stud, Ballyrogan.
4. Terrick West, Prairie
Sale average: $3112
The McGauchie of Terrick West kicked off the spring ram-selling season in early-August, setting the tone for a positive season ahead and a 93pc clearance rate.
The Prairie stud sold 78 of 84 rams to a top price of $8000, with an average down less than $600 on the same sale in 2022.
Wentworth, NSW, seedstock operation Dunedin Park Poll Merino stud bought the top-priced lot after switching the focus away from artificial insemination to buying "good-quality rams".
The original Terrick West stud was founded in 1932 from Bundemar and Haddon Rig genetics, and moved to the McGauchie's farm in 1948.
The poll stud was formed 1954 from Poll Boonoke rams and is the oldest active poll stud in Victoria.
5. Glendemar, Kanya
Sale average: $3037
A West Australian buyer swooped in to secure the top-priced Glendemar ram at Kanya in early-October after the stud sold 140 of 155 rams at auction.
The Duxson family praised "fiercely-loyal" return clients for its success, while Perillup Estate, Rocky Gully, WA, bought the top-priced ram for $16,000.
Glendemar stud principal Ben Duxson said the Trotter family of Perillup Estate had bought rams from the family for close to 30 years.
"They mostly every year end up buying the top-priced ram of the sale," he said.
Volume buyers included Barooka, Kingston, SA, which bought 11 rams, David and Lana Lang, Kanya, who bought 11 rams, and Vasey Farm, Balmoral, which bought 10 rams.
6. Charinga, Berrimal
Sale average: $2735
Bright and super-soft wool was in high demand at Charinga's 2023 ram sale, as the top-priced lot was knocked down for $17,000.
The June 2022-drop ram was purchased by Capree Poll Merino stud, Newbridge, NSW, after strong enquiry from local and interstate buyers.
The stud is owned by Roger Polkinghorne and his partner Jo Browne and was established in 1990, and Mr Polkinghorne said a mix of new and return clients helped achieve the 85pc auction clearance rate.
In a sign of the times, it was the first time the stud put forward non-mulesed rams.
Roger's son, Tim Polkinghorne, is the stud principal of Banavie Merinos, a pure daughter stud of Charinga.
7. Glenpaen, Brimpaen
Sale average: $2715
Wimmera stud Glenpaen relied on long-term clients to secure a bulk of the rams on offer at its October auction after recording a clearance of 91pc and a sale average of $2715.
The conditions on sale day were vastly different to those experienced at the 2022 sale, when more than 100 millimetres of rain fell across the Brimpaen district in the 24 hours leading up to the sale.
Glenpaen stud principal Rod Miller said he was pleased with the auction result after a strong clearance of 95 rams to a top price of $9750.
Competition on the poll rams was the strongest, including the top-priced ram, which was bought by D & J Rogerson, Glenthompson.
8. Stockman, Melton Mowbray, Tas
Sale average: $2563
Tasmanian Merino stud Stockman defied the odds on a number of fronts in 2023.
Not only was it the only Tasmanian stud to make it into Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2023 top 10 list, it was the only stud in that group to record a 100pc clearance.
Stockman Merino stud co-principal Tim McShane said the Melton Mowbray, Tas, attributed the strength of the sale to several volume buyers on the Apple Isle, as well as strong support from the mainland.
Last year, the stud sold 58 of 60 rams to average of $2879, recording a $316 drop in the average year-on-year, and one of the lowest average declines across the studs profiled in this list for 2023.
9. Curlew, Charam
Sale average: $2439
The dual-purpose benefits of Merino rams were unlocked during Curlew's spring ram sale as the top-priced lot was described as an "awesome all-rounder".
The Charm stud sold 66 of 80 rams to record a top price of $7250.
The buyer of the top-priced ram, Adam Berwick, Waratah Pastoral, Cavendish, said he was impressed by the ram's open, free wool, with a fine micron.
Curlew stud co-principal Elise Kealy said the rams were sold to a mix of new and return clients across three states.
10. Oakbank, Gre Gre North
Sale average: $2437
More than 100mm of rain in the week leading up to Oakbank's 2023 sale renewed confidence of farmers in western Victoria after a long dry spell.
Oakbank stud co-principal Warren McCrae said the rain set the tone for a good sale after the Gre Gre North stud sold 76 of 84 rams to a top price of $6000.
The stud - 10th on the list of Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2023 - sold its top-priced ram to return buyer Wayne Jones, Donald.
"I've been a regular buyer for 15 years here ... the bloodlines have suited my situation and the wool has been very nice," Mr Donald said.
Victoria and Tasmania's best Merino studs for 2023
Listed by highest to lowest sale price average.
Additional reporting by Joely Mitchell, Philippe Perez, Andrew Miller, Rachel Simmonds, Holly McGuinness and Jess Sharp.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
