Pinnacle White Suffolk debut sale averages $922 at Willalooka with value rams
Summary
The Pinnacle stud held its first on-property ram sale at Willalooka, 30 years after the principal began breeding Suffolk sheep. Buyers found some of the most affordable buying of the South Australian ram sale season to that point, with 40 of the 43 White Suffolks offered averaging $922 and eight of the 18 Suffolks averaging $887. More than half the rams sold at the $800 base price.
The sale was held at a property at Willalooka where the rams had been running. The stud had previously offered rams in conjunction with another operation, and the purchase of 117 White Suffolk hoggets from Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale, Victoria, in 2024 tripled the size of the stud and prompted the move to a standalone auction.
The majority of the early White Suffolk lots were sired by a 2020-drop ram from Mertex stud in Victoria, described as the highest-growth ram the principal had scanned and weighing 100 kilograms at six months of age. That draft included lot 13, which made the $1700 sale high to NK&MB Pfeiffer, Parrakie. The July 2025-drop ram weighed 111.5 kilograms and recorded an eye muscle depth of 55 millimetres.
Lot 45, the $1200 highest-priced Suffolk, was secured by KC Heinicke and had been part of the stud's Royal Adelaide Show team. Nepowie Station, Woolumbool, was the volume buyer with 10 White Suffolk rams from $800 to $1200, while Stirling Wells Partners, Keith, bought five Suffolk rams at an $840 average. Nutrien conducted the sale.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| White Suffolks offered and sold | 40 of 43 |
| White Suffolk average | $922 |
|
Suffolks offered and sold |
8 of 18 |
| Suffolk average | $887 |
| Sale high, a White Suffolk | $1700 |
| Highest-priced Suffolk | $1200 |
| Base price at which most rams sold | $800 |
| Eye muscle depth of the $1700 ram | 55 mm |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What did the Pinnacle debut sale top at?
The sale high was $1700 for lot 13, a White Suffolk, sold to NK&MB Pfeiffer, Parrakie. The highest-priced Suffolk was lot 45 at $1200. More than half the rams sold at the $800 base price.
How many rams sold?
Of the White Suffolks, 40 of 43 offered sold for a $922 average. In the Suffolk section, eight of 18 sold for an $887 average. These are section results and are reported separately.
Why was this the stud's first on-property sale?
The stud had previously offered rams in conjunction with another operation. The purchase of 117 White Suffolk hoggets from Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale, Victoria, in 2024 tripled the size of the stud and prompted the move to a standalone auction. It came 30 years after the principal began breeding Suffolks.
What figures did the $1700 ram record?
The July 2025-drop ram weighed 111.5 kilograms and recorded an eye muscle depth of 55 millimetres. It was among the early White Suffolk lots sired by a 2020-drop ram from Mertex stud in Victoria.
What sired the early White Suffolk lots?
The majority of the early White Suffolk lots were sired by a 2020-drop ram sourced from Mertex stud in Victoria. That ram was described as the highest-growth ram the principal had scanned, weighing 100 kilograms at six months of age.
Who were the volume buyers?
Nepowie Station, Woolumbool, was the volume buyer with 10 White Suffolk rams ranging from $800 to $1200. Stirling Wells Partners, Keith, a long-time client, bought five Suffolk rams at an $840 average.
Where was the sale held?
The debut sale was held on-property at Willalooka, where the rams had been running. The venue was a property belonging to another family rather than the stud's own base.
Who conducted the sale?
Nutrien conducted the sale. The auctioneer noted it was a positive sign that the sale went well into the catalogue before any lots were passed in.
