Fast and furious bids push Sheepmaster Parent Stud sale to $20k top price

A push for quality at the outset had new buyers compete strongly with returning clients at the Sheepmaster Parent Stud ram sale at Woodstock on Tuesday, October 13.

The sale reached a high of $20,000 and an average $2821 as 70 of 97 rams sold during the auction, with more selling shortly after.

The top-priced ram is heading to the newly established Parklair stud of Michelle Johnston, Baerami via Sandy Hollow.

The mid-January-drop ram, tag 260229, from the Monarch family, weighed 92.5 kilograms with an 44 millimetre eye muscle depth (EMD), 7mm fat, a 10.7kg weaning weight, 17kg post-weaning weight and a terminal carcase production (TCP) index of 155.34, as well as a maternal carcase production (MCP) index of 145.82.

He also rated a five for temperament and skin and a muscle score of three - all the highest ratings.

Ms Johnston has a small 40-hectare block and used to run Charollais rams over Dohne ewes to produce a fat lamb.

After the 2018-19 drought, she shifted to producing Charollais rams as a way to maximise productivity of her land.

But more recently, she found every time she was selling rams, the first question asked was if they needed shearing, which had her starting to research shedding sheep breeds before deciding on Sheepmasters.

She sourced about 20 Sheepmaster ewes at the start of the year.

"I like them, the way they grow out, temperament and clean skin, then I decided I needed a really nice ram," she said.

Ms Johnston said this ram had stood out to her, which was reiterated by advice from others.

She admired his conformation, muscling in the back end and clean skin, as well as his temperament.

"Unless you're starting with the best, you won't sell the best," she said.

"I think this ram will produce some nice lambs with the ewes I've got."

Sheepmaster Parent Stud owner John Dalla, Nhill, Vic, said the sire, which had already been used within the stud, was a "terrific young ram" with great growth and type.

The second highest-price ram was a July 2025-drop, 117kg ram from the Everest family, which sold for $9000 to Western Australian buyer Ryan Smith, Greenrange, WA, via StockLive.

The ram, tag 251398, had a 46mm EMD, 6.5mm fat, 9.88kg weaning weight, 14.47kg post-weaning weight and 150.49 TCP and 139.11 MCP, as well as top scores for temperament, skin and muscle scan.

Mr Smith, who also bought the second top ram at the October sale in 2025, selected five rams in total for an average $4300.

The sale's volume buyer was another recent convert to the Sheepmaster breed, with Andrew and Gemma Geike, Geggaline, Lanyon, Tharwa, ACT, selecting 10 rams to join with their shedding ewes.

The Geike family is moving out of crossbreds into a shedding breed.

"From our research, these seem to be the best and they have a good temperament and are full shedders," Mr Geike said.

"We're looking forward to the years with ease of management."

They picked up some ewes at the start of the year and had joined them to Poll Dorset rams "as an experiment, and they proved to be good".

"The maidens lambed 110 per cent, and they've got real personality and character," Mr Geike said.

"They've got great muscling and are easy to work."

After this success, they bought another 400 ewes, and wanted some Sheepmaster rams to go with them.

Mr Geike said he was selecting on the feet, shedding ability and overall conformation.

They paid to $4500, averaging $2650.

Also buying in bulk was repeat client Craig Basham, Calimo, who selected eight rams to a top of $3500 and an average $2063, bidding via StockLive.

Regular volume bidders Craig and Dani Millyn, Eugowra, took home 11 rams, from within the auction and after, paying to $3500 and averaging $2136.

DP Crain, Mount Adrah, bought six rams to $3500, averaging $2133.

Mr Dalla said he was pleased with the buying support, which had rams head to WA, SA, Victoria, the ACT and across NSW.

"The way the shedding space is moving forward, there is plenty of scope to grow," he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders with Paul Dooley the auctioneer and StockLive providing the online interface.