'Huge success' for Orrie Cowie, Glendonald sale with average price up $700

A massive crowd turned out for the Glendonald and Orrie Cowie Merino and Poll Merino on-property ram sale at Nhill on Tuesday, which far exceeded expectations.

The two increasingly integrated studs sold one joint offering of 120 Merino rams.

A total of 36 of 40 horned rams sold for an average of $2470, and 70 of 80 poll rams sold for an average of $2387.

Orrie Cowie stud principal John Dalla said the sale was a "huge success", surpassing last year's average by over $700.

"I didn't think we'd even get close to that [average price]," Mr Dalla said.

"It was a nice reward for all the work we've been putting in, and the confidence in what we're producing."

Last year, Glendonald sold 61 of 77 rams for an average of $1730, while Orrie Cowie sold 62 of 84 rams for an average of $1718.

The top price ram was Lot 16, which sold for $15,000 to a buyer from Yacka, SA, who has been buying from the Orrie Cowie stud for a long time.

"He was a beautiful ram," Mr Dalla said.

"A stud from NSW was the runner-up bidder, and they travelled nine hours to buy that ram.

"They ended up buying one of our stud reserve rams privately after the sale, so they went home with a ram."

The 20.4 micron son of Glendonald 8.68 was one of the heaviest rams in the catalogue at 120 kilograms and had an eye muscle depth of 37 millimetres.

The buyer of the 2025 top-priced ram also purchased the top-priced ram from the Glendonald stud last year, who was by the same sire.

The second top-priced ram was Lot 12, a Merino by Glendonald, which sold for $10,500 to Boudjah Merino stud, Nimmitabel, NSW.

Rams from both studs sold to five states, including Victoria, South Australia, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.

"It was a massive crowd compared to last year and we had really good, genuine interest from far and wide," Mr Dalla said.

The sale marked the second year the two studs had joined forces for the sale after Orrie Cowie moved its operation to Nhill from the Yorke Peninsula, SA, in the middle of last year.

Both studs are known for their wool cut.

"We've been getting a lot of feedback from people who are really happy we haven't gone down the path of making our sheep little and fluffy," Mr Dalla said.

"We've stuck true to our type and haven't chased the fads.

"We're keeping the growth and size in the sheep while maintaining a big, high-quality wool cut.

"I think people have come back to those commercially relevant traits."

Glendonald stud principal Robert Harding said he was also pleasantly surprised with the success of the sale.

"Our average is quite a bit higher this year," Mr Harding said.

"Considering where the price of wool is and what the season has been like, I'm a bit surprised how well they did sell."