'One of the biggest hindquarters I've seen': Aussie White ram impresses
Vendors of the Springdale Australian Whites ram sale at Stanthorpe on September 11 said they'd almost chosen to keep the top-price ram for themselves, describing him as exceptional.
The grandstands saw loyal Springdale buyers filling seats at the Stanthorpe Showgrounds, and online bidders joined via AuctionsPlus for the 10th annual sale.
The sale saw 52 rams offered, and 51 sold under the hammer - with the final ram selling nearly instantaneously once the sale concluded - for a 98.1 per cent clearance rate, an average of $1733.33, and a gross total of $88,400.
The sale offered four stud sires, all of which sold, which averaged $2950 and grossed $11,800, and 48 flock rams, 47 of which sold for a clearance rate of 97.9pc, an average of $1629.79, and a gross of $76,600.
This was an improvement on the 2024 sale results, which saw a 60pc clearance and an average price of $1605.
The top-price ram, ID250142, one of the four stud sires offered, weighed 109 kilograms, was born a single, had an eye muscle depth of 46 millimetres, intramuscular fat of 7pc, and a scrotal circumference of 33.5 centimetres.
ID250142 was sired by a Red Hill ram, R230600, and out of S220567, and the dam of the sire was T190839.
He sold to Robert and Janelle Hellyar, who operate a breeding program at Amroth Park, near Clifton, for $4400.
"We've been building up our numbers over the last four years... and we're just after a new ram to put into the line... we've retained a couple of rams to use as well, but it's time to ring in a new bloodline," Mr Hellyar said.
"I was chasing a purebred stud ram."
Mr Hellyar said he plans to sort through his flock for maidens and ewes to be put in with ID250142, and currently runs roughly 250 ewes.
Vendor Mark Davey said the top-price ram was the pick of the lots, and almost didn't put him in the lineup as he wanted to retain him.
"He's exceptional - I only put four studs in the lineup, I'm really particular, but what I'm after is carcase shape, and meat on the bone," Mr Davey said.
"He has everything - he had good bone, good meat, was long, wide, his figures were good, his eye muscle... he was an exceptional ram, and he very nearly stayed at home."
APL agent Ben Johnston said the top-priced ram had one of the biggest hindquarters he had seen in Australia, and felt that his depth was an attraction for bidders.
The Hellyar family are new buyers at the Springdale sale, which Mr Johnston said was a common theme among online buyers.
"The people in the crowd were pretty well all repeat buyers, bar one, and AuctionsPlus had repeat and new buyers on it," Mr Johnston said.
"We had a lot of repeat buyers - a lot of local people couldn't make it unfortunately, because it's dry conditions, but we've got rams going to Longreach, Charleville and Roma, so that spreads them out, which is really good," Mr Davey said.
Mr Davey said he was pleased with the result, and was happy to not have to take any of the rams back to his property.
"I'm very happy with the result - I'm so happy all the rams go into a new home where they're going to go and do a job, which I know they can do, and I'll be very happy," he said.
Volume buyers included MJ & RE Eggerling from Longreach, who purchased eight rams for an average of $1625, and Hollybank Dorpers from near Inglewood, who purchased seven head for an average of $1571.43.
Mr Johnston said the sale was competitive compared to the broader market, and that he felt the sale achieved a healthy average.
- Selling agents: Nutrien, and APL, interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
