Boorowa stud hits $8000 peak as 92 Merino rams sell to strong demand

Coming off a back-to-back win at the South West Slopes Stud Merino Breeders field day at Harden, the Evans family presented 95 March-shorn Merino rams for sale at Boorowa on Monday, September 21.

With the wool market in a positive position and demand for productive Merino genetics remaining firm, buyers arrived looking for rams that could add value to their commercial flocks.

At the fall of the hammer, 92 of 95 rams sold to a top of $8000 for an overall average of $3122.

It was well up on 2025 when 86 of 90 rams averaged $2385.

The result continued a strong run of form for the Boorowa-based stud, which has built a reputation among commercial Merino producers for producing large-framed sheep with good conformation, soft-handling wool and heavy-cutting fleeces.

The top-priced ram came at the start of the draft with Tara Park 17 purchased by long-term clients, the Maher family of Cookardinia.

The ram had a fibre diameter of 16.5 micron, 2.6 micron standard deviation and 99.8pc comfort factor.

Loyalty to the Tara Park brand runs deep for the Maher family, who have been sourcing genetics from the Boorowa stud for nearly four decades, returning regularly to source the top-end genetics.

John Maher said they considered the Tara Park rams to be some of the best in the market.

"...and that's the reason we come back every year as the wool is a beautiful, medium-fine wool," Mr Maher said.

The Maher family runs a Merino breeding and cropping operation, joining about 2500 ewes, all to Merinos, with Tara Park genetics forming a significant part of the operation's breeding program.

The second top price ram was matched on two occasions at $7000, selling to WC Barnes of Eugowra and Greg Simpson, Winjallok, Vic.

The first at $7000 was Tara Park 22 with 17.3 micron, 2.6 micron SD and 99.8pc CF.

The other at $7000, Tara Park 3, was 18 micron with 2.7 micron SD and 100pc CF.

Mr Simpson said the ram would be used in their ram program, which utilised Tara Park bloodlines to keep dust and water out, while also keeping breeding numbers up.

"I was particularly impressed with the ram's overall type with a good tip, well-nourished and well-presented appearance," Mr Simpson said.

The family has been purchasing Tara Park genetics since 2002, initially through AI, before beginning to buy rams in person in 2009 after visiting the stud and seeing the operation first hand.

Mr Simpson said Tara Park had continued to provide a balance of wool quality and productive sheep, with that combination keeping them coming back to the stud.

"Both rams purchased today had great body length, shape and structure," Mr Simpson said.

The family runs a Merino operation and said they had experienced their best-ever lambing this year. They also sell surplus sheep, with between 2500 and 3000 head typically going through the Wycheproof saleyards.

With the current positivity in the market, the family was hopeful of achieving good results from the upcoming sales.

Tara Park Merino stud principal Guy Evans, along with Anna and Adrienne Evans, enjoyed another strong year in the show ring, with the stud's ram awarded the South West Slopes Stud Merino Breeders Ram of the Year title for the second consecutive year.

Speaking at the start of the sale, Mr Evans said the stud's focus was not solely on success in the show ring, but on producing sheep capable of performing under commercial conditions.

Mr Evans said 2026 had been a particularly successful year for the stud, with major results recorded at shows including the supreme exhibit at Bathurst and the grand champion March-shorn ewe at Dubbo, along with numerous other broadribbons.

The latest South West Slopes result was particularly pleasing with Tara Park claiming the Ram of the Year title for the second year running.

"It's a good competition," Mr Evans said, describing the back-to-back win as a result he particularly enjoyed.

"With the rural sector currently experiencing positive conditions across various facets, I am pleased with the outlook."

The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders, with Rick Power, Nutrien, as the auctioneer.