High clearance rate for hardy sheep at Nyngan Dorper and White Dorper sale

Strong prices, with a side dish of flies, set the tone for the multivendor Nyngan Dorper and White Dorper ram sale on Thursday, September 17.

Vendors were Amarula, Gravesend, cataloguing 12 White Dorpers and 21 Dorpers; Dusty Downs, Hermidale, with six White Dorpers; Dalman Downs, Narrabri, with 11 White Dorpers and five Dorpers; and Winrae Dorpers, Warialda, with three White Dorpers and 11 Dorpers.

Overall, 65 of 70 catalogued rams sold to average $3703 with a clearance of 93 per cent. Three more rams sold after the auction.

Dorpers sold to a top of $6000 twice to average $4091, while White Dorpers sold to a top of $9500 to average $3290.

The top-priced White Dorper, Lot 32 Amarula 253478, was sired by Boonoon Wazza 230084, out of Amarula 232804. It weighs 105.5 kilograms.

The 1.5-year-old ram attracted 17 bids, reaching $9500 and selling to Paul Southern, Boonoon Dorpers, Thallon, Queensland.

"He is a Type 5 ram. You couldn't fault the ram," Mr Southern said.

"He has a nice head, long body, depth, is a clean shedder, everything is right. He is a terrific ram. If he's the right ram, he's a cheap ram."

Mr Southern said he just bought the one ram on the day for the Boonoon White Dorper stud he runs with his wife Melissa. His sons, Warwick, Sam and Mitchell, own the Boonoon Dorper stud.

The equal top-priced Dorper, Lot 40 Amarula 255303, sired by Amarula Smarty 231713, and out of Amarula 221351, weighed 97.5kg at 13 months old, sold to the Maxwell family.

The other top-priced Dorper, Lot 42 Winrae 25-5664, sold to Tony Pattrick, Outback Mustering, north of Bourke.

Sired by Winrae Black Panther 225258, out of Winrae 20-0334, he weighed 100kg at 14 months old.

"I just like the style of him," Mr Pattrick said.

"He had a good body; he just stood out to me. I like him, not for a particular trait, but he stands strong, has a good head, good muscle.

"He's a young ram, and has got a lot of growing to do. I'd be interested to see what he grows into."

Mr Pattrick, who was also a volume buyer, bought 12 Dorper rams at the sale.

"I got a little bit excited yesterday. They were good rams so we hooked in," he said.

"I like the black heads.

"We have a bit of everything, Dorpers, goats and Angus cattle over a few properties, including leased country. Most of the cows are on agistment at Packsaddle at the moment, the way the season's been going."

The sale has run annually at the Nyngan showgrounds since its inaugural event in 2022, where five vendors raised funds for mental health charity RU OK, and a top-priced White Dorper ram, Amarula 211835, sold for $4750.

In 2023, rams topped at $3800, while by 2024 western commercial buyers pushed prices higher, with 68 of 70 rams sold to a top of $5600 to average of $2935. In 2025, three rams sold to a top of $5000.

The selling agents were Nutrien with Nutrien Stud Stock's John Settree, Dubbo, and Nutrien Nyngan's Richard Thomas sharing the auctioneering.