Young Collinsville stud reserve sells for big money in three-state deal
An 'exceptional' medium wool Poll Merino ram, which was one half of Collinsville stud's winning National March shorn pair at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic has sold for $50,000.
The stud reserve - CV 242016 - turned plenty of heads before Elders stud stock's Alistair Keller facilitated the private sale between the Hallett-based stud and Towonga and Darriwell studs at Peak Hill, NSW.
Semen shares were also sold to Wilgunya stud, Dirranbandi, Qld, and North Ashrose, Gulnare.
It was a great start to the selling season for Collinsville stud, which was also riding high from exhibiting the supreme exhibit at the ASWS for the second consecutive year.
Collinsville general manager Tim Dalla said they thought highly of 2016 - a Imperial 344 son.
The June 2024-drop weighed 114 kilograms and still had its lamb's teeth and was double polled.
"His wool cutting ability is huge, combined with terrific bone and excellent structure and great width of body," he said.
The 19.4 micron ram had terrific wool tests, including a standard deviation of 3.0, coefficient of variation of 15.7pc and 99.5pc comfort factor.
At the ASWS, Mr Dalla said the ram was potentially unlucky to place second in a huge medium wool class to a ram from fellow SA stud, Collandra North, which went on to be the grand champion March-shorn Merino ram.
Towonga and Darriwell stud principal Garry Kopp was impressed with the young sire when he saw the June 2024-drop at the Hay Sheep Show as a ram lamb and decided to make an offer after the ram had come ahead in "leaps and bounds."
"He is an exceptional stud sire, you have to take the opportunity when those sheep appear," he said.
"We didn't really need one but you don't see those sheep every day of the week."
Mr Kopp said his new sire offered a package of great wool and body traits.
"He is a bit of a standout for his age and he has an exceptional skin and great muscle - everything I was looking for in a sire
Two years ago, Mr Kopp outlaid $50,000 for another Collinsville ram from the same Imperial family. He is confident this ram will have the same positive impact on their flock.
"You never want to have to pay that sort of money, but there has been semen sold out of him so he will come back reasonably priced," he said.
Mr Kopp's Collinsville buys also extended to the $13,000 highest priced ewe in the Bendigo sale - the first time Collinsville has offered stud ewes in the sale.
