Huge interest brings ram forward to open the Tattykeel sale. Then he topped it
There was so much interest in a ram at the Tattykeel Poll Dorset stud sale, he was moved from lot six to the opening lot.
Soon, it was obvious why.
There was furious bidding for Tattykeel ET 250069, which was knocked down for the top price of $22,000 at the Gilmore family's 51st Poll Dorset sale.
Buyers from across the country bid in person and online for coveted stud rams and ewes, as well as flock rams, at the Black Springs stud on Wednesday, September 30, with ET 250069 snapped up by Braeside Poll Dorset stud, Taralga.
In all, 13 of the 22 stud rams offered sold to a top of $22,000 and an average of $8615.
In the flock rams, 52 of 87 rams sold to a top of $2750 and an average of $1726.
In the stud ewes, 30 of the 40 offered sold to a top of $2600, reaching an average of $973.
The Armstrong family, Braeside Poll Dorset stud, Taralga, was thrilled with the impressive, meaty ram.
April-born ET 250069, weighing 165 kilograms, boasted an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 58 millimetres, an eye muscle width (EMW) of 120mm and an eye muscle area (EMA) of 53.59 square centimetres.
He is also from an impressive line - he is sired by ET 230014, and is a full ET brother to keeper ram 250031.
His sire fathered both the 2026 NSW Poll Dorset Championship supreme exhibit, Tattykeel 250085, and grand champion ewe, Tattykeel 250104.
The Armstrong family has owned the stud for just one year after purchasing it from Regina and Cameron Marks, Boorowa.
"I've always been keen on breeding stud sheep. We also have a small Kelpie stud that we've had for 20 years," Peter Armstrong said.
Peter and Jasmine Armstrong bought their first Tattykeel ram last year for $12,000.
"We aim for early-maturing, moderate-framed sucker lambs that still have the scope to grow out, with a carcase quality to go with it," he said,
Tattykeel ET 250069 will be used to naturally join their own flock.
When asked what they liked about the ram, Jasmine Armstrong replied: "Everything".
"There's just so much to like about him. He's not the biggest-framed animal, but he makes up for it in weight, carcase and eye muscle. He's an all-round good sire article for us to complement the ewes we have," Mr Armstrong said.
They didn't stop there - the Armstrongs also purchased stud ewe lot 114, Tattykeel 250285.
The June-drop twin ewe, sired by Tattykeel 220308, was selected by their 15-year-old daughter Baylee.
"I like her big, wide hips and how she sat in her pasterns. She has a clean face and a big, deep barrel. She's very nicely structured," Baylee said.
Baylee hopes to get some rams and ewes out of the ewe to show.
Tattykeel's James Gilmore said they were "over the moon" with the results.
"It's another terrific average for the stud rams. It wasn't a total clearance, and it was a bit of a buyers' market in spots. But with a top price of $22,000 and an average of nearly $9000 again, we're over the moon," he said.
"We're still highly concentrating on one of the most different programs there is in Australia. We've been a closed flock for nearly 25 years, and it's a really pure line-bred Poll Dorset with real breed type and breed characteristics that build the breed to make it so dominant.
"We offer a totally different article to a lot of places in the market."
He said the fact the Poll Dorset sale matched the Australian White sale for the stud the week before showed the strength of the Poll Dorset in the Australian sheep industry.
"If you go in any saleyard in Australia, 90 per cent of the time the lambs that top at the saleyards are sired by Poll Dorset rams. They still offer a really profitable article, and the better farmers are still always driven towards the Poll Dorset advantage."
He said it had been a massive effort by the whole Gilmore family and Tattykeel staff to hold the two sales.
"At the end of the day, it doesn't happen without all their help," he said.
The sale was conducted by Elders and QPL Rural, with guest auctioneer Miles Pfitzner taking the bids.
