'Sheer structure' behind sale high Merino as wool market bolsters Merryville
A strong contingent of loyal, long-time clients has encouraged the competition at Merryville's 27th annual on-property sale, as a buoyant wool market made its mark on the Merino ram-selling season.
A total of 105 of 125 lots were sold at Boorowa on Friday, September 11, at an average of $2060 and to a top of $10,000.
The top price was almost double last year's of $5750, with the average slightly back on 2025's $2171.
The sale high was made by Merryville 891, by Merryville Giant Test, a two-year-old ram selling to Brett and Michael McDonald, Oakvale, Williamsdale, ACT, via Nutrien Stud Stock's Rick Power.
The 110-kilogram sire cut a 17.5-micron fleece, with a standard deviation of 3.4, a coefficient of variation of 19.6 and a comfort factor of 99.5 per cent.
Mr Power said the McDonalds were long-term superfine woolgrowers, based on Merryville, Grathlyn and Conrayn genetics, and supplied one of Nutrien's superior clips in southern NSW.
It was the ram's "sheer structure" that attracted their interest, with an eye muscle depth of 43 millimetres and fat depth of 6mm.
"Outstanding for a superfine ram with that frame, and out of the Giant Test family, he's probably one of the most predictable sire groups of the Merryville bloodline," he said.
"And we've purchased them before, so he was a no-brainer."
A ram not catalogued was also sold for $10,000 after the sale, in private negotiations, to Graeme Newnham, Cara, Delungra.
Tony and Ben Price, Boiga View, Pyramul, bought the second top-price ram of the day, Merryville G30, by Merryville Giant Test Super, for $7000.
The 96kg, two-year-old ram tested at 15.4 micron, with an SD of 2.3, a CV of 15, and a CF of 99.9pc.
The elder Mr Price said the stud "bred true", with his 1000-ewe flock all Merryville blood, cutting a 5kg average at 16 micron.
Elders Hamilton's Kevin Beaton facilitated the purchase of seven superfine-type rams for Jeff Fitzgerald, Frybrook, Harrow, Vic, averaging $2857 and to a high of $4250.
Mr Beaton said the wool operation marked about 1600 lambs this year and aimed for a 17.5 micron fleece.
"Well-structured, staple length, fairly uncomplicated sheep," he said.
"Jeff's family has been buying Merryville sheep for probably four generations, so they've been long-term clients."
Close to a quarter of the sold offering went home with the Morse family, Spire View, Coonabarabran, who bought 24 rams at an average of $1125 and to a top of $2000, via Elders Boorowa's Dermot McGrath.
Merryville principal Wal Merriman said the repeat volume buyers had a significant superfine flock with Merryville blood, and were a major supplier of cast-for-age ewes.
Pictures by Dakota Tait.
Mr Merriman said Merryville was staying true to its breeding roots, although they were aiming to inject more body weight into the sires for clients looking at the finewool Merino lamb market.
The season had been "very good" at Boorowa, with "excellent feed" springing out of the paddocks in the lead-up to the sale.
Mr Merriman told the buying gallery he couldn't see the wool market catching up with supply any time soon, and committed woolgrowers would reap the benefits.
The strength of the wool market was also likely to put more money into the ram-selling season, he said, with clients coming from the local district as well as further afield in northern NSW, Victoria and southern Queensland.
Elders Young's Aaron Seaman agreed the current market would "only help" the Merino stud industry.
"The buyers are after a particular kind of sheep and happy to pay for it, looking for production and wool cut," he said.
"I think the way the wool job and the restocker ewe job is, it can only go one way but up, in interest in Merino sheep."
HG Reynolds and Sons Pty Ltd, Delhi Downs, Mangoplah, went home with eight rams at an average of $2531 and to a top of $3500.
Seven sires went across the northern border with HH Harris and Son, Talwood, Qld, averaging $1714 and to a high of $2000.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders, with auctioneers Daniel Croker, Nutrien Goulburn, and Aaron Seaman, Elders Young.
