Repeat buyer secures top horned and polled rams at Terrick Merino sale

Buyers from as far afield as Quilpie, Jundah, Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Aramac and Hughenden helped put a solid floor in the annual Terrick Merinos ram auction, held on the first day of spring, but it was a NSW client who paid the sale's top money.

As they did last year, David and Joss Cameron, Bungara, Burren Junction, bought both the top horned and poll ram at the sale at Blackall on September 1.

They paid $4100 for the Merino ram, an AI son of Nerstane 404, and $1900 for the poll Merino, another AI ram, sired by Willandra 38.

All up, 88 of 100 rams, or 88 per cent, were sold under the hammer, resulting in an average price of $1401.

Two rams were sold post-auction, making the average price $1394 for 90 rams.

The average price for the 56 Merinos sold was $1410, while the poll Merinos brought an average price of $1367.

In 2025, the stud finished with a 98pc clearance, a Merino ram average of $1436 and a poll Merino average of $1375. The top Merino price last year was $3100 and the top poll price was $3400.

Speaking for the Camerons, former Terrick Merinos owner Rick Keogh, who was buying on their behalf, said they liked the uncomplicated, correct animals that came down from Queensland.

"They're bred in reasonably harsh conditions so they stand up well in the softer country there," he said. "The Nerstane son is a beautiful upstanding ram, he's got lovely white wool - he's got a lot going for him."

His fleece weight estimated breeding value was 6.7, his fibre diameter EBV was -1.2, and his body weight EBV was 2.3.

The top poll ram the Camerons bought, situated towards the end of the catalogue, also had a fleece weight EBV of 6.7. His fibre diameter EBV was -1 and his body weight EBV was 3.5.

Mr Keogh said the Camerons weren't particular about whether a ram was horned or polled, it was whether it was a good sheep that was important to them.

They finished with four rams for an average price of $2250.

Terrick Merinos principal Chris Turnbull said the Camerons had once again been a big help for the top end of the sale.

"The Nerstane son was very well bred out of one of our better ewes, and Willandra's stud principal Ross Wells helped me identify the ideal ram for Queensland conditions," he said.

"Progeny by those two sires were the most sought after today - they're both working well with Terrick genetics.

"Everything is pointing in the right direction for the young poll ram the Camerons bought today."

The second-top-priced ram at the sale was $2000 for a Merino son of a horn special syndicate, purchased by the Aberfieldy Pastoral Co, North Elmsdale at Ilfracombe.

His EBVs were 0.4 for fleece weight, -0.1 for fibre diameter, and 12.1 for body weight.

He was one of 10 rams bought by the Ringrose family, outlaying an average $1580.

Mims Grazing, based at Tucson at Winton, was the volume buyer on the day, selecting 20 rams for an average $1195, while Eldwick Pastoral at Jundah bought 12 rams for an average $1375.

One of those travelling the furthest was Anita McNamara, Abbotsford, Hughenden, who was after eight replacement poll rams and ended up with 10.

"The rams we get from Terrick stay sound so long, we haven't needed many for a while," she said.

"Their wool stays good too - we get Rick (Keogh) and Peter Clark to class them. They class the hoggets and go through the rams each year."

Ms McNamara said they'd used poll rams for as long as she could remember, because they were less prone to accidents.

"And the shearers and people picking them up at lambmarking appreciate it," she said. "We need a well-nourished fleece - we tend to have protein droughts up there, and we don't want to let dust in."

Commenting on the sale, Mr Turnbull said there were some well-fought battles over particular types of rams, while clients had got some bargains as well.

"There were different competitions, for wool type and frame - some wanted that white bright wool and some were after the big upstanding frame more."

• Agents: Nutrien, Elders.