Mullinger Park stud sells 'most rams ever' in massive three-breed sale
Mullinger Park's 23rd annual ram sale could not have been better timed with much-needed rain falling on the roof of the ram shed at the Naracorte Showgrounds for much of the sale.
This gave buyers the confidence to have an extra bid or two.
Stud principals Brett, Amanda and Will Shepherd have long had one of the state's largest terminal sire sales with three breeds represented, but this year was their biggest ever offering.
Impressively, the Kybybolite based stud sold the most rams ever too - 330 Poll Dorsets, White Suffolks and Suffolks of the 339 offered found homes for a $1822 average.
This was up nearly $400 on 2025's sale where 284 rams sold.
The strong sale was the icing on the cake of a hugely successful showing season for Mullinger Park.
At the recent Royal Adelaide Show they won champion interbreed pen of three rams, as well as supreme shortwool ram exhibit with a White Suffolk ram they sold at the Bendigo Elite Show & Sale for $18,000.
This may have piqued some more stud interest, but it was the stud's long-time commercial clients from the South East and Vic Wimmera who made it a sale to remember.
The nine specially-selected Poll Dorsets kicked off the sale strongly averaging $2722.
This included the $3700 sale topper - Lot 8 - which caught the eye of Emily and Scott Davidson, Morton studs, Lucindale.
Mrs Davidson said they returned to Mullinger Park for their latest stud sire after having success with their genetics previously.
Their three recent Royal Adelaide Show grand champion Poll Dorset ewes were all sired by Mullinger Park rams.
"Finding genetics that complement your own genetics can be quite hard to do," she said.
She said they were attracted to the late June 2025-drop's outcross pedigree, being sired by Wrattenbullie 449, as well as his eye appeal. It had a Terminal Catcase Production index of 153.
"While he was not one of the biggest framed rams we appreciated his structural soundness," she said.
"The ram had all the things we are looking for in our (Poll) Dorsets, good carcase, good hindquarter and structural soundness."
Overall, 167 of 168 Poll Dorset flock rams sold, averaging $2000.
Despite the prior sale of Lot 94 - the Adelaide champion - there was still good interest in the other nine specially selected White Suffolks which averaged $2555.
Many of these were also sons of Tasmanian ram Valma 2383 which is breeding well for the stud.
This included the $3500 highest-priced White Suffolk at Lot 97. It was bought by SD Symonds, Apsley, Vic.
Of 88 White Suffolk flock rams offered, 86 sold, averaging $1353.
The catalogue featured the first offering of Mullinger Elite Poll Dorset rams sired by a group of high figured ewes which the Shepherds bought from Melton Vale stud, Tas, in early 2025.
They had the pick of the stud and selected 200 ewes.
Twenty-nine of these 34 rams, which were a couple of months younger than the Mullinger Park rams, averaged $1676.
With such a large offering it was not difficult for buyers to fill some big orders - eight taking home 10 rams or more.
Repeat buyer Manuka Farming, Conmurra, led the volume buyer list securing 22 Poll Dorsets for a $2268 average.
Long-time clients ECH Schinckel & Son, Kybybolite, were also active in the top end securing 14 for a $2643 average.
This included five of the specially-selected White Suffolks and two of the specially-selected Poll Dorsets.
Another regular Willana Pastoral, Frances, proved there was still rams for all budgets securing 17 White Suffolks for a $1411 average.
Demand for Suffolks can vary greatly at Mullinger Park from year to year but this year it was on, resulting in all 34 rams selling to a $3600 high and averaging $1812.
NAS Clutterbuck, Edenhope, Vic, was the volume Suffolk buyer with nine rams for a $1622 average.
Mullinger Park's Brett Shephered said the sale easily "exceeded expectations" especially the first 90 Poll Dorset flock rams.
Only nine rams in this section made less than $2000.
"It was good that there were a few passed in so everyone goes home with rams and at the prices they want to spend," he said.
Mr Shepherd said raising and preparing such a large number of rams was not easy, but it had all come together well.
"We want to put in quality and this year with a better season last year those numbers were there, we had more rams to pick from as well from the ewes we bought," he said.
Elders Naracoorte auctioneer Tom Dennis - who shared the rostrum with SAL's Mat MacDonald and PPHS's Jack Schulz - said it was an impressive feat to put up such a large number of high quality rams.
"Every year Brett, Amanda and Will make them a little bit better. structurally they are very correct with heaps of muscle, heaps of length and they are good headed rams," he said.
While very few people having sold their 2026-drop lambs, Mr Dennis said the optimism about prices into spring meant rams were making $2000 further into the sale.
"The elite run of rams and the middle body of rams made very similar money," he said.
