Interstate bidders, repeat buyers push Glenwood to higher average, clearance
A dual-purpose Merino wool and meat breeding enterprise on peninsula farming country, 55 kilometres south of Adelaide, was a feature buyer at the 25th annual Glenwood Merino stud ram sale at Wellington on Friday, October 9.
Bidding on behalf of Port Wine Pty Ltd, Jeff Cook, Springmount Grazing, and Jason Trompf, Greta, Vic, secured six rams for a $6000 average including the $9000 sale-topper for a 3000-ewe, 19-micron self-replacing Merino flock at Hindmarsh Tiers, on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia.
This year Glenwood principals Norm and Pip Smith and family cleared 121 rams from an offering of 136, with rams selling to a top of $9000 and averaging $3289 - some $486 up on the 2025 sale average and selling 28 more rams than last year.
Speaking on behalf of the buyers, Jason Trompf said because the flock was in 1000-millimetre rainfall country, it was important to buy rams with traits for that country.
"We are looking for rams with traits to enable a Merino to function in this high rainfall environment," Mr Trompf said.
"Firstly, really good feet structure - pasterns and foot are a must, plus the ability to cope with worms.
"In our breeding objective we want condition score as well that can cope with our variable environment, because you don't always get the good growing seasons, and we are looking for better growth and high-quality wool.
"So, it's a real dual-purpose animal that we are focusing on."
The sale-topper, a twin sired by Glenwood 201113, is rated in the top 5 per cent of the SRS index and top 10pc of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) for yearling staple length and weaning rate, also top 20pc for yearling worm egg count, yearling fibre diameter coefficient of variation, and ewe rearing ability.
Port Wine also paid $8000 for the second top-priced ram.
Regular buyers Dan and Bill Whiteley, Narambon Park, Cudal, returned and bought three rams to $6000 averaging $4167.
They are joining 1600, 18.5-micron ewes this year and shear every eight months.
Paul Martin, Old Dalkeith, Cassilis, returned and paid $5500 each for two rams.
He is joining 3500 ewes of 18.5 micron.
Bill Mann, Moonbucca, Rylstone, a buyer for some 20 years, purchased four rams to $5500 to average $4375.
Kate Schoen, Schoen Pastoral, Corowa, returned after buying two rams last year to secure six rams, paying to $7000 and a $3917 average.
The Schoens are moving from a first-cross breeding operation towards SRS Merinos and run 750 Merinos in a 2000-ewe flock with their Aarden Angus stud.
Another second-year buyer, Peter Lawson, Trewalla, Wagga Wagga, returned to secure eight rams for a $4000 average and also topping at $7000.
He is running 2500 ewes of 18.5-micron average and said he liked the Glenwood breed type.
"I like the type here, the staple length and body of the Glenwood sheep," he said.
"They have good fertility in their breeding."
Gilmandyke, Orange, has been noted for its quality Angus stud, but Merinos have run on the property for many decades.
In recent years the flock has moved from a traditional ewe base and in the past five years, they have injected SRS blood.
For the third year, Wade Peatman and Peter McNamara returned and took home seven rams while paying to $7000 and a $3214 average.
Gilmandyke joins 4000 ewes, with the Merino half growing 18.5-micron wool and shearing every eight months. The other half are joined to White Suffolks.
For some 24-plus years, nearby neighbours the Kiss family have been buying Glenwood rams and this year Steve and Kate returned to secure seven rams while paying to $$6500 and a $4071 average.
The Kiss family is joining 2000 ewes of 18.5-micron wool.
Another near neighbour and possibly Glenwood's oldest client, the Barton family, Brooklyn, Wellington, bought seven rams for a $2500 average and top of $4000.
Peter Barton and daughter Alex join 1500 ewes of 18 to 19 micron and shear six-monthly to return a 6.5kg average wool tally.
Travis Fernandes, Silver Gully, Winjallock, Vic, has been buying at Glenwood on and off since 2023, but returned this year to secure five rams for a $1700 average.
He joins 2500 ewes of 19 to 19.5 micron for autumn lambing and shears six-monthly.
"I like Glenwood's wool style as much as anything," he said.
"It's hard to go past Glenwood's style of wool."
Glenwood studmaster Norm Smith said it was a great time to be in the Merino industry.
"I know stock prices have been really good, but to have the wool price pick up the way it has, it's added another level to the Merino industry," he said.
"Yesterday, we sold the wool off ewe lambs with six-months wool and the fleeces and bellies averaged $3760 per bale.
"When you think where we were last year, it's amazing how far the market has come in those 12 months.
"So, this shows just how much money is in Merinos now when you add the wool and the meat, and the surplus sheep sales. It's just fantastic."
The sale was conducted by Peter Milling and Company, Wellington and Dubbo, and Elders, Dubbo, with Danny Tink and Martin Simmons sharing auctioning duties.
