Major volume buyers chase conformation and crimp at Belswick Merino sale

Buyers sought bone and frame confirmationat the Belswick Merino ram sale, held at Belswick Park, Condobolin, on September 19.

All up, 44 of 48 rams sold to $3400, twice, to average $2325.

Paul, Jen, Nicola, Emma and Min Northey, Baronlonga Pastoral Co, Weethalle, secured the two sale toppers, Belswick-148 and Belswick-674, for $3400 each.

Sired by Belswick-142, Beslwick-148 recorded a fibre diameter of 21.6 micron.

The 94.5 kilogram Poll Merino ram also had a 3.7 micron standard deviation (SD), 17 per cent coefficient of variation (CV) and 98.4pc comfort factor (CF).

Son of a syndicate joining of Belswick-18027 and Belswick-578, the second sale topper, Belswick-674, weighed 85kg with a 19.9 micron, 4 micron SD, 20.20pc CV and 98.5pc CV.

Mr Northey has used Belswick genetics for about seven years, prioritising crimp, style, bone, frame and conformation.

He runs a 6000-head self-replacing Merino flock, classed by Michael Elmes.

Cull ewes go to Suffolk rams, and the family sells the lambs through Wagga Wagga.

Before the market lifted earlier this year, they averaged about $300 a head for the first-cross lambs.

The operation focuses on lifting lambing percentages, which sit at around 125pc. The flock averages 20-21 micron, depending on the season, and in 2024 the grown ewes cut an average of 10.2kg of wool.

Mr Northey joins in September for a mid-May to early June lambing.

Also under Mr Elmes' classing, Emma Northey runs 1000 ewes at Milroy, Weethalle, following similar breeding objectives.

Both Ms and Mr Northey claimed wins in the 2025 West Wyalong and Lake Cargelligo Flock Ewe Competitions, respectively.

In total, the Northeys purchased 20 rams to average $2565.

Tom and Kate Stuckey, Corella Partnership, Condobolin, bought seven rams to average $2600.

Their top pick was 88kg, 19.3 micron, Glendonald-454 son, Belswick-926. He had 3.2 micron SD, 16.6pc CV and 99.5pc CV.

The Stuckey family also took out the 2025 Don Brown Memorial Flock Ewe Competition with their easy-doing, fertile, heavy wool-cutting sheep.

Classed by Chris Bowman, Hay, the May-July drop ewes are shorn every 10 months and achieved a 95 per cent lambing rate.

Amie L'Estrange, Belswick, said they were really happy with the results.

"It's the first time we've held an auction since early 2000, so we're very pleased," she said.

VC Reid Smith Livestock, Forbes, conducted the sale with Sam Smith as auctioneer.