Callowie Poll Merino auctions back with helmsman on-property at Bordertown

After a year's hiatus, the Callowie stud has returned to selling rams on-property at Bordertown.

Through a helmsman auction, Callowie offered 80 May/June 2025-drop rams, with 52 sold, for an average of $1456.

Callowie principal Richard Halliday was pleased with the result.

"We haven't had an auction since 2024 and came back with a helmsman sale, which worked well for us," he said.

Mr Halliday said it was good to see five new buyers to the stud, mostly coming from the South East.

They had seen the rams on display at the recent South East Merino Field Day at Keith.

"To have people come along who have never bought from us before is very pleasing," Mr Halliday said.

The $3500 top and $3000 second-highest price rams in the sale both went to GM Butler & Sons, Naracoorte.

Lot 14, which featured fleece of 18.2 micron, 3.2 standard deviation, 16 coefficient of variation and 99 per cent comfort factor, made the $3500, while lot 1, with fleece measuring 17.8M 2.7SD, 14CV and 99.7CF, was knocked down at $3000.

Mr Halliday said the sheep showed the scale and volume Callowie was known for, with the 5 Cs - conformation, covering, constitution, carcase and consistency - right through the offering.

"We're focused on breeding genuine dual-purpose sheep, with good carcase and the ability to cut a good quantity of wool that fills the bales," he said.

Mr Halliday said the stud was also focused on producing wool in the 18.5-20M range.

Volume buyers Jared and Morris Oliver, Avenue Range, bought 12 Callowie rams.

Agent Jordy Heinrich, Nutrien Keith/Kingston SE, said they had bought from Callowie for the first time last year and were happy with how the rams performed.

Mr Heinrich said Callowie's "big bodied rams, with good wool" meant the Olivers could sell off wethers as good feeder lambs within 12 months, averaging 50kg, plus shearing "a nice clip of wool".

The sale was a joint Nutrien/Elders auction.