New sire line proves popular Alfoxton Poll Merinos with increased average
An increased sale top price and average at this year's Alfoxton Poll Merino sale, indicates the dual purpose Merino is money in the bank for breeders, according to stud principal, Chris Clonan, Armidale.
Mr Clonan said in his pre-sale remarks the outlook was far more positive for woolgrowers than at the time of his sale one year ago.
This year two rams sold for $5000, while 47 of 63 catalogued sold at auction, averaging $2127. This was an increase in average of $286 compared with the 2025 result.
Peter Reimers, Pearsby, Stanthorpe, Queensland, bought the two top-priced rams for his flock of about 2000 ewes he runs in the traprock country west of Stanthorpe. He was also the buyer of the top-priced ram in 2025 and 2024.
"We're one of the few (woolgrowers in the traprock country) left," Mr Reimers said.
He said the Alfoxton style of sheep were what his flock was aiming to be.
"The Alfoxton sheep do well in our country, the nourishment in the wool helps keep out the dust and weather," he added.
The first of Mr Reimers' sale-toppers was tag number 24-0208PH, sired by Alfoxton 22-0271, a ram with impressive show ring performance and was sold privately for $30,000 at the Bendigo, Vic, sheep show to Bogo stud, Cootamundra in 2024.
That same year 22-0271 won the Tom Cully Award for supreme junior Merino exhibit, at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and then was judged the grand champion ram of the Hay sheep show later that year.
Mr Reimers' new sire was a twin, dropped on July 31, 2024, with a micron of 17.6.
It's Australian sheep breeding value (ASBV ) for fleece weight (FW) index was 177.8 per cent, which placed it in the top 30 per cent of the breed. The ram's wool production index (WP) was 169.09, ranking it in the top 40pc and it also scored a top 20pc index for its yearling fleece diameter (YFD) indec of -2.03.
The other ram heading to Pearsby was 24-0189PP, was also sired by Alf22-0271. It had a micron of 15.8, a YFD of -3.02, which is a top 5pc index, and a FW index of 153.3pc. A third ram, sired by Alfoxton 24-0175PH was bought for $3000, by Mr Reimers.
Mr Clonan said the 22-0271 ram had 17 sons in the catalogue, the first time any of its progeny went under auction. Fifteen of them sold at auction averaging $2323. Two were passed in.
The volume buyer of the day was Simon Croft, Milparinka Pastoral Company, Guyra, with 13 rams to a top of $3500, averaging $2269, while Yarraman Partnership, Strathview, Blue Nobby, bought six rams to a top of $3000, averaging $1500.
The Tulloch family, Rob, Margot and their son David, Stanthorpe, Qld, near neighbours to Mr Reimer, bought three rams to return to the traprock country.
Their top price choice was another of the 22-0271 sons, with a 15.1 microna FW index of 177pc, and a YFD of -2.78 and top 10pc index.
Lone Pine Ag, Nullamanna, bought three rams to a top of $3000, averaging $2000, while Andrew Wood, Woodville, Armidale bought a ram for $2000.
Interstate buyer, Tony Brennan, Sedgwick, Victoria, bought four rams to a top of $2000 twice, averaging $1500, while Nordale Pastoral Company, Nordale, Delungra, bought three rams to $3000, averaging $2166.
The selling agents were Elders Armidale, with Paul Dooley the auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.
