Four rams reach equal-top price for a Conapaira result driven by repeat business
Repeat business proved the key to good results at the Conapaira Pastoral annual ram sale on Tuesday, September 5, with four lots achieving the top price at Rankins Springs Showground.
The sale offered Dorpers, White Dorpers and White Suffolks, with the first of the $5500 sale toppers arriving early. Lot 5, White Dorper tag 25-0024, sold to Scott Vaessen, The Ranch, Tabbita.
With bidding carried out by Rod Evans, Elders Griffith, Mr Vaessen also purchased lot 39, tag 25-0031, at $5500.
Lot 5 was a June 2025-drop twin by Conapaira 230126 from Kaya 230178, weighing 110 kilograms with a lean, well-conditioned fat score of 4.
He had eye muscle depth (EMD) of 43 millimetres, and a weaning weight (WWT) of 45kg, with a post-weaning weight (PWWT) of 101kg.
First-time buyer Mr Vaessen said he was encouraged by the Dell Dorpers influence in the Conapaira bloodlines.
"I'm a big fan of buying Dell rams, and Tom Groat (principal of Conapaira Pastoral) has been purchasing rams from Dell for a while," he said.
"So it was a flow-on effect for me. I've been comfortable with the style of ram Dell produces, and now Tom is producing a similar line."
Lot 39, also a White Dorper, was a single-drop born on the same day as lot 5, and he boasted a Type 5 classification for structural and breed-quality optics.
By the same sire as lot 5 but from Kaya 230322, he weighed 102kg with 8.5mm fat and an EMD of 42mm. He boasted a 42kg WWT and 77.5kg PWWT.
Buyers Rob and Sal Loveridge, Apsley, Gunbar, were in attendance at Tuesday's sale and went in for the third of the top sellers, lot 83, tag 25-0025, also a White Dorper.
The single-drop ram, by the same sire, was from Conapaira 210533, a female line from the highly regarded Burrawang Dorpers.
Tipping the scales at 98kg, he had 3mm fat, 28mm EMD, a 27kg WWT and a 73.5kg PWWT.
Across the catalogue, 46 of 89 Dorpers sold to $5000, for an average $2663. All 14 White Dorpers sold for an average of $3014.
The sale then opened up the catalogue to its run of White Suffolks, with spirited bidding spelling hot competition.
The White Suffolk draft sold 41 of 52 to $5500 and a $2365 average.
Lot 127, tag 25-0362, sold best, going to buyer Marlene MacDonald for her and her husband James's Macsfield operation at Hillston. The couple bought five White Suffolks in total, with lot 127 topping at $5500.
The ram was a May 2025-drop, weighing 132kg with an 8mm fat. He had 40mm EMD, with a 40kg WWT and 91.5kg PWWT.
"He was a very nice ram," Ms MacDonald said.
"We're up to five years now of buying from Conapaira and we've been getting good results from the lambs we're selling.
"We run a mix of Poll Dorset and White Suffolk across first-cross ewes, so the lambs out of the rams have been strong and we went back for another go."
The MacDonalds traditionally buy 10 rams a year, injecting new blood into their Macsfield flock. At their Hillston base, they've had a good season and were in a good position to be buying.
"Conapaira have a very good product," Ms MacDonald said.
"We're very pleased with the five we bought."
Principal Tom Groat said while he would look forward to a stronger clearance in future years, with this just the third of Conapaira's ram sales, it was encouraging to see the support around the ring.
"We're very grateful to everyone who supported the sale, and particularly our repeat buyers," he said.
"We've got a lot of confidence in the rams and in the direction our breeding program is heading, and we'll take plenty away from today.
"We'll keep improving and come back stronger again next year."
The Conapaira sale was conducted by Elders Griffith with auctioneer Paul Dooley, and the online interface by Stock Live.
