Prices soar as bidders compete on Tattykeel supreme-ribbon rams in 50th sale
Several rams widely praised by judges in the showring have also gained fans in the sale ring, with bids soaring to near record levels during the 50th annual Tattykeel Poll Dorset sale at Black Springs on Wednesday, October 1.
The sale reached a high of $34,000 - just shy of the stud's $36,000 record, paid for lot 2, Tattykeel 240193, the junior champion ram at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, Bendigo, Vic, earlier this year.
The 144-kilogram, June 2024-drop ram, by Tattykeel 170484, out of Tattykeel 180286, was bought, via AuctionsPlus, by South Australian stud Glencorrie, which operates at Maitland on Yorke Peninsula and Duncan on Kangaroo Island.
The ram had an eye muscle depth of 56 millimetres, eye muscle width of 118mm, eye muscle area of 50.882 square centimetres and 11mm fat.
Glencorrie's Josh Graham said the ram would head to Kangaroo Island, where it would join two other Tattykeel rams to keep the stud improving.
He said they had been buying Tattykeel rams for the past 10 years, including several top price lots.
Mr Graham said this ram appealed for his growth rates, good head and great carcase.
"We were also looking for that length of body," he said.
Also in high demand was lot 1, Tattykeel ET 240088, which had previously been sashed interbreed champion ram at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in April before claiming supreme exhibit at the ASWS.
The April 2024-drop, 155kg ram had measurements of 60mm for EMD, 118mm EMW 54.5EMA and 10mm fat.
He was bought for $20,000 by Kraywood Poll Dorsets, Cudal.
Kraywood's Ray Adams said the ram had a "nice, even structure".
"He was very correct and stood up a bit more than others," he said.
The ram will be "joined to as many ewes as possible" within the stud.
Another sale highlight was lot 2, Tattykeel ET 240074, by Tattykeel 210180, out of Tattykeel 180737, which was bought by Kanoona Park, Curban, for $16,000.
The 162kg ram was ASWS reserve senior champion with measurements of 64mm EMD, 122mm EMW, 60.122sqcm EMA and 11mm fat.
All up, 19 of the 20 stud Poll Dorset rams sold for an average $10,789.
Also active during the stud offering was Narranmore Poll Dorsets, Dunedoo, which bought three rams during the auction to $13,000, as well as the remaining stud ram shortly after for an average $7000.
Tattykeel's James Gilmore said it was an "incredible" sale on their stud rams.
"Who'd have thought that 50 years later, we'd still be so passionate about the breed?" he said.
In the flock ram component, bids rose to $2100, paid for Tattykeel 240140, a 93kg, twin-born, June 2024-drop, by Tattykeel 210180.
The ram was bought by TJ and JE Leahy, Bathurst, among their five rams - including a stud ram at $5000 -for an average $2380.
The Leaheys have been buying at Tattykeel for most of the 50 years of sales.
Volume buyer among the flock rams was Glenshae Trading, Merrygoen, bidding through AuctionsPlus to select 10 rams at $1500.
Bufton Farming Group, through QLP Livestock, bought seven rams to $1800, averaging $1600, while the Short family, Gosse, SA, also through AuctionsPlus, claimed six rams to $1900, averaging $1566.
All up, 47 of 95 flock rams averaged $1561.
There was also an offering of stud ewes, with 30 offered scanned in-lamb to keeper ram Tattykeel 240080, and 10 unjoined.
Of 30 joined ewes, 13 sold to $1300, averaging $1023, while all 10 unjoined ewes sold to $1000, averaging $780.
Bidding online, the Milroy family, Pipers River, Tas, selected eight ewes to $1000.
The sale began with stud principal Graham Gilmore reflecting on the half-century of Poll Dorset ram sales, with a number of their clients marking more than four decades of bidding.
The sale was conducted by QPL Livestock, Temora, with Miles Pfitzner the auctioneer.
AuctionsPlus provided the online interface with 36 lots sold via web bidding.
