Solid top at joint Greywood, Roseville Park ram fixture as young breeder doubles down

Despite doubling the offering of Greywood Poll Dorsets, there was still plenty of interest at the joing Greywood and Roseville Park Charollais on-property ram sale, on Wednesday, September 23, bear Wambangalang, near Dubbo.

Greywood sold 38 Poll Dorset rams to average $1362 and top at $3000, while Roseville Park cleared all 20 Charollais rams to average $1263 and top at $1500.

Repeat buyer Wayne Leigh, Kananga, Dubbo, bought six Greywood rams, including the three highest-priced Poll Dorsets.

Mr Leigh paid $3000 for lot 27, a twin-born ram by G23-0039; $2250 for lot 26, a single-born ram by G23-0331; and $2000 for lot 28, a single-born ram by G23-0039.

The $3000 sale-topper recorded Australian Sheep Breeding Values of 3.77 for post-weaning eye muscle depth, 0.55 for post-weaning fat depth and minus 0.09 for intramuscular fat.

Mr Leigh said he had attended the Greywood sale for the past three years, since it was started by Charlie Coddington, and had specific traits he targeted when selecting rams.

"We're seeking top quality rams, and we ended up with the top three today," Mr Leigh said.

"It was a good buying opportunity, very good value. We're chasing weight and eye muscle. That's what we get paid for."

The six rams will be joined to first-cross ewes.

Mr Coddington, who bought Greywood Poll Dorsets at 19 years of age, and is now 25, said this year's increased offering followed feedback from clients who had missed out on rams they wanted at previous sales.

Further expansion is planned next year following his purchase earlier this year of Kingsvale Supreme Poll Dorset stud, Kingsvale, near Young.

Kingsvale Supreme had been run for close to three decades by the Manchester family and had measured carcase data since 1996, with a focus on marbling and carcase shape.

Mr Coddington said the two Poll Dorset studs would follow different breeding directions.

"They'll probably go down two different directions," he said.

Greywood would retain a stronger focus on producing stud sheep, with data collection built progressively, while Kingsvale Supreme would continue a heavily data-focused approach aimed at larger commercial producers.

Mr Coddington planned to offer about 50 Poll Dorset rams at a Kingsvale sale at Young next year, taking his combined offering across the two sales to about 100 rams.

Roseville Park, operated by Mr Coddington's parents Matthew and Cherie Coddington, is better known for its long-established Merino and Poll Merino breeding program, with Charollais forming a significant but smaller part of the operation.

All 20 Charollais rams sold for a 100 per cent clearance, with lot 7, tag 25-0180, by RP21-0089, topping the offering at $1500. The remaining 19 rams sold for $1250 to an average of $1263.

The $1500, tag 25-0180 ram, recorded ASBVs of 15.26 for post-weaning weight, 2.59 for post-weaning eye muscle depth and 0.33 for intramuscular fat.

The joint sale was conducted by Delta Pollard Livestock and Property, Dubbo, with Tom Pollard as auctioneer.