Fleece weight, dual-purpose demand pushes prices at Woodpark Poll Merino

Repeat buyers chased the latest genetics for their diverse flocks at the Woodpark Poll Merino ram sale at Conargo on Monday, September 21.

Demand drove rams into Queensland, Victoria and throughout NSW, with 147 of 150 rams sold to a top of $9500 and average $3232.

The top-priced ram, Woodpark Poll 250030, sold through Michael Elmes, Smartstock Narrandera, on behalf of to Owen Huggins, Woodpark Pastoral Co.,, Jerilderie.

By Kiargathur 222009 and from Woodpark Poll 10076E, the May/June 2025-drop, March-shorn ram recorded a fibre diameter of 18.8 micron, standard deviation of 2.8, coefficient of variation of 15.0 per cent, and a comfort factor of 99.3pc.

Mr Huggins said he hadn't planned on taking home the top ram of the day, but he was an ideal fit to run with his ewes, with the outcross genetics from Kiargathur.

"He's a big square sheep, carrying a really heavy fleece of nice, stylish lustre wool, I think everyone can use," he said.

"He's got great genetics, and it's lovely to see that [genetic] recombination and what you can do with it."

Catalogued at Lot 3, Woodpark Poll 250030 recorded a lean meat yield (LMY) and yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) in the top 5pc of the breed at +3.4 and +41.0. Yearling fleece diameter (YFD) and wool production (WP) were in the top 20pc at -1.9 and +190 respectively.

Stud principal Stephen Huggins said it was pleasing to see genetics continue across the district and further afield, particularly having utilised the top ram within the Woodpark Poll flock already.

"I'm very pleased, of course, there were lots of rams who made good money and good affordable rams as well, that's always important," he said.

"The ram that Owen's bought here, we've used him as a ram lamb, that's why we could let him go today. He's a very good ram, and we're very pleased with him."

Mr Huggins added that Kiargathur 222009's grandsire was Woodpark Poll 180405, purchased at auction from 2019, and was a pleasing return.

The second top-priced ram, Woodpark Poll 250413, sold for $9250 to Brigid Robertson, Bungeeltap Pastoral, Ballan, Vic.

By Woodpark Poll 230083, the non-mulesed ram recorded a 18.1 micron, 2.6SD and a 14.3CV with a 99.6pc CF. He also recorded ASBVs in the top 5pc for LMY at +3.1, and a YFD in the top 20pc at -1.9.

A repeat buyer, Mrs Robertson said the dual-purpose potential of the ram made him an ideal future sire across her maiden ewes.

"We've been coming here for the last five years, and we're really beginning to see the results of our efforts and their efforts," she said.

The May 2025-drop, April-shorn Woodpark Poll 25002 sold for $9000 to Craig Wilson, Wagga Wagga, on behalf of Jack and Christie Glasson, Jimenbuen Pastoral Company, Dalgety, and recorded ASBVs in the top 1pc for YCFW, WP and sustainable Merino index (SM) at +48.6, +214 and +171.

The ram, also by Kiargathur 222009, from Woodpark Poll 20861E, also ranked in the top 10pc for YFD at -2.5, and in the top 20pc for yearling weight (YWT) and LMY at +11.4 and +2.4, respectively.

Mr Wilson also bought Woodpark Poll 250040 for $7500, and said the pair would help foster depth of body across the flock.

Volume buyers Corynnia Station, Carrathool, secured 22 rams for $1800, while the Weir family, Ellesmere, West Wyalong, purchased 10 rams for an average $2975.

Woodpark Poll Merino Ram Sale 2026 | Gallery

Pictures by Eliza Spencer.

Sam Weir said he had been buying from Woodpark Poll for two years, after taking part in a Merino Production Trial to push for excellence across the flock.

"Looking at the trial results, we identified that fleece weight was going to be the area that we could most easily improve the overall profitability of our flock," he said.

"We have country that's arable, we can't crop, so it needs to have stock on it - it's always had sheep, and it's been a tough grind.

"Now we're reaping the benefits of sticking with it and making really good returns."

Further north at Longreach, Qld, Paula Dean, Notus Downs, made the trip to boost the genetics of her family's fourth-generation Merino operation. Ms Dean secured 10 rams for an average $4600.

"We need sheep that are easy for the shearers to shear, we try not to buy rams that are too complicated in wrinkle," she said.

Despite a more than 1600-kilometre journey, Ms Dean said the rams thrived in the north.

"They just do extremely well up there, I'm really pleased with what they've done with my flock, lowering my micron," she said.

"They need to have nice big ears and big bold faces, and they just do really well there."

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Finley and Elders Deniliquin, with Nick Gray, Elders, and Tim Woodham, Nutrien, as auctioneers.

AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.