Standout AI sire prepares to leave mark on industry following Koonwarra sale
The first sons of a ram set to "leave his mark" were among the three equal top-priced lots at the Koonwarra Merino and Poll Merino 49th annual unhoused ram sale at Boorowa on Wednesday, September 23.
They joined the son of another formerly influential sire, brought back into the genetic pool through artificial insemination, and three rams reached the $6500 top price.
During the auction, 91 rams sold from the 110 offered for an average $3157. More rams sold shortly after the sale's conclusion.
Two of the $6500 rams were sons of Merrignee 21-087 'Brocky', a standout from Koonwarra's sister stud, Merrignee, that was sashed supreme exhibit at the Great Southern Supreme Merino Show in 2024 as well as grand champion fine wool Merino ram at the Sydney Royal Easter Show that same year.
The first was Koonwarra 25089, in lot 11, a 103-kilogram, May/June 2025-drop twin, which had fleece measurements of 18.9 micron, 3.0 standard deviation (SD), 15.8 coefficient of variation (CV) and 99.5 per cent comfort factor (CF), as well as a 146.9pc greasy fleece weight (GFW).
He also had a Fibre Production index of 114, a Merino Production index of 121 and a Dual-Purpose index of 117.
He was secured by Ian Ferguson, Bidgee Creek Pastoral Company, Goulburn, through bidder Jack Finch, Schute Bell Goulburn.
Mr Finch said Mr Ferguson was looking for "the basics" of a good shape, bone and wool - "and lots of it", with a standout in the top ram.
"He has a traditional front and all the ticks," Mr Finch said.
"He'd be the heaviest cutting sheep here and had the bone and carcase to carry that through."
Bidgee Creek Pastoral also bought another Brocky son, Koonwarra 25252, another twin with a 17-micron fleece, 2.6SD, 15.3CV, 99.6pcCF and 140.6pc GFW, at $5500.
"I came here to buy an even pairing and these were two alike," Mr Finch said, and added the wool was a good fit for the region's high rainfall area.
"It's good to see in the Koonwarra line-up, that consistency."
The second ram to hit $6500 came soon after at lot 12, another Brocky son, Koonwarra 12133, a 114kg twin with a 17.9-micron fleece, 2.8 SD, 15.6 CV and 99.6pc CF as well as 123pc GFW.
Buyer Geoffrey Larkin, Hillside, Ben Bullen, has a four-decade history of fine wool Merino production, and utilised Koonwarra rams for more than 20 years.
Property manager Wes Tompkins said they had recently made the tough decision to reduce their sheep numbers to about 600, due to pressure from wild dogs, and had changed up their operation.
Merino wethers were now sold as lambs, no longer kept for wool, and just the ewes retained.
"We want to keep a consistent 19-micron fleece with the frame to sell off wethers," Mr Tompkins said.
He said their ram was among the heaviest in the sale, while he would ensure they could continue their tradition of a "fantastic yielding wool clip".
They bought three rams, all by Brocky, for an average $5000.
Koonwarra co-principal Jono Merriman said they had decided to bring Brocky across from the Merrignee operation in their AI program because of his size and wool type, as well as heavy-cutting GFW.
They have kept three sons as junior stud sires, and will also have another drop in next year's sale.
"He looks like he's going to leave his mark," Mr Merriman said.
The third ram to hit $6500 was a Poll Merino, Koonwarra 25077, a 103.5kg twin ram, with 19.2-micron fleece, 3.1 SD, 16.1 CV, 99.4pc CF and 121.3pc GFW.
He was sired by an older sire Claypans 323.
Buyer Michael Grabham, Peronne Ag, Wiagdon, is a long-time buyer at Koonwarra.
"The Claypan family has really done a lot for our flock so I was happy to pick up a Claypan one again," he said.
Mr Grabham admired their ram's wool style, fat and muscle and conformation.
The ram will be joined with their maiden ewes as they work to rebuild their numbers, going from about 500 head towards a target of 800.
He also bought another ram, Koonwarra 25007, a Nerstane Poll 001 son with 18.6-micron, 2.4SD, 12.9CV, 99.7pcCF and 113.5pc GFW, for $5500.
He said the twin ram was "a really square, good dual-purpose sheep with excellent wool".
Mr Merriman said Claypans 323 had been an influential ram within that stud when they were developing their line of Poll Merino sheep, and they decided the time was right to "bring him back out of the tank".
There were plenty of buyers selecting their genetics in volume, including Murra Pastoral Co, Milvale, Young, which took home 10 rams, bidding to a top of $6000 and an average $4000.
Murra Pastoral's Tim and Charlie Boyd have bought from Koonwarra for about five years, and Charlie said they were looking to build on their wool cut and quality.
"We've had a good lambing percentage and body weights," he said.
Tim said the rams would be joined with their maiden ewes, which also had the Koonwarra influence.
Finemore Pastoral, Frogmore, also picked up 10 rams, to a top of $6000 and an average $3200.
Finemore Pastoral's Tim McGrath said they were looking for a "modern Merino" with an emphasis on wool.
"We're woolgrowers but in the past few years we've started fattening wether lambs," he said.
"We're looking for more weight and early developers."
Pat Dwyer, Yass, bought nine rams to $2500, averaging $1722; Leswell Pastoral, Bowning, selected eight rams to $5500, averaging $3688; DA and DJ Barker, Ando, picked out seven rams to $5000, averaging $3643; and Ulah Station, Panuara, bought seven rams to $4250, averaging $2179.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders with Nutrien's Rick Power the auctioneer.
