Charity ram fetches top price at Gowan Brae Poll Dorset annual ram sale
A full clearance and a $3200 top price highlighted the annual Gowan Brae Poll Dorset ram sale at Furner on Friday, with all 122 rams sold to average $1740.
The top price was achieved by lot 50, the stud's annual charity ram donated by principal Leigh Clifford to the Millicent Cancer Support Group.
Naracoorte producer Graham Johnson, LS Johnson, paid $3200 for the ram, continuing a tradition that has supported the group for more than 10 years.
Mr Clifford said he was pleased with the result, particularly the total clearance and support from new buyers.
"It's a fairly competitive game we are in, so it's just pleasing to get two or three new buyers," he said.
Mr Clifford has donated a ram to the support group for the past decade since the loss of two sisters to breast cancer.
He said the annual donation was a way to support the local group of women who raised funds to help make life easier for people affected by cancer.
Mr Johnson said the charity ram was a regular feature of the sale and worth paying a little extra for.
"It's a very good ram, but Leigh does that every year," he said.
"He donates one ram and puts it at number 50, when it probably could be at number one, two, three or four, so you pay a little bit extra for it because it's for charity."
The ram will join Mr Johnson's first-cross ewe program at Naracoorte, where he runs about 10,000 head.
He has supported Gowan Brae for 15 years.
Mr Johnson also purchased nine other rams to average $2170.
Nutrien studstock auctioneer Richard Miller said the sale offered a consistent line-up of large-framed, long-bodied rams, with buyers competing across the catalogue.
"The Gowan Brae rams basically went to all local buyers," he said.
"Whenever you see buyers buying rams from lot one to 120, it means the sale is very even.
"It's not like they've only found them in the front half."
Mr Miller said buyers were able to find rams to suit a range of budgets, making it a value-driven sale.
Mr Clifford said the full clearance was the main objective and he was pleased to see the offering find buyers throughout the sale.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien with Richard Miller the auctioneer.
