Bulk buyer takes home top ram at 2025 Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper sale
A bulk buyer took home the top ram at the 2025 Bellevue Dorper and White Dorper ram sale, helping to deliver a solid result for the vendors.
About 100 people filled the stands at Bellevue near Millmerran on Friday, September 26, for the Curtis family's annual on-property sale.
Bidders joined in person and online from local areas around the Darling and Southern Downs, west to Cunnamulla, Longreach, and Aramac, and into central New South Wales.
A total of 111 rams from 120 sold through the ring for a 92.5 per cent clearance, an average price of $2162, and a top of $4000.
By comparison, all 120 rams offered sold at auction in 2024, grossing $245,310 for a 100pc clearance, an average of $2210, and a top of $4400.
Fierce bidding early saw three of the first five lots sell for $3000 or more, while another 12 sold at or above this mark throughout the sale.
Kell Freeman and family, based at Roma, bought Bellevue 241859 for the top price of $4000, alongside another 10 lots for an average of $2582.
Bellevue 241859 was a 12-month-old Dorper, weighing in at 88.5 kilograms, and rated to type five.
He had ASBVs of -0.4 for birthweight, +6.5 for weaning weight, +10 for post-weaning weight, +0.3 for post-weaning eye muscle depth, -0.9 for fat depth, and a Maternal Carcase Production value of 132.
Destined for a fat lamb program, he will travel to the Freeman family's Ballandean Station in the Granite Belt.
Ballandean Station manager Wayne Wayte said he was impressed by the Bellevue run's data, and recruited APL agent Ben Johnson to judge their structure, length, and carcase traits.
"The Curtis family has runs on the board, with their ribbons and overall wins in the paddock to palate competition over the years," Mr Wayte said.
"We bought our first Bellevue rams a couple of years ago, and their first crop of lambs has just dropped.
"They had low birthweights, and we are pleased with how their sires are performing so far.
"These rams will join the flock on improved pastures around bushland, alluvial flats, and rolling hills on the edge of Sundown National Park."
Bellevue manager Sophie Madge said her family aimed to breed low-maintenance sheep by keeping birthweights in the three-to-four-kilogram range.
"The top ram was one of our favourites, and we had considered keeping him in the stud herd," Ms Madge said.
"Our aim is always to breed functional, commercial animals that can produce quality red meat.
"In terms of our own program, we aim to get a second crop out of our ewes every year by running two tight joining windows, starting from April 1 and October 1."
The top ram was by 04/24 D LAF, and out of Bellevue 221771.
Bulk buyers were out in force at the Bellevue sale, with seven bidders taking home five or more lots.
Penny and John Taylor, based near Longreach, bought the largest number of lots through the ring, with 15 head for an average of $1667.
Nutrien Toowoomba agent Colby Ede said the level of interest in the sale from New South Wales buyers was growing.
"I think the paddock to palate wins have helped to show the quality of the Curtis family's sheep to a wider audience," Mr Ede said.
"And it is always encouraging to see the number of repeat buyers at the Bellevue sale.
"It was a solid result overall today, and there was a buyer preference for White Dorpers.
"Buyers are becoming more selective: they are willing to make multiple bids to secure the right article."
There was significant interest from online bidders in the sale: they made up about 20 of the 40 buyers overall.
- Agents: Nutrien Ag Solutions, Auctions Plus.
