Wool producer seals third sale-topping ram of the season at Grathlyn sale
A Williamsdale wool producer has completed a trifecta of sale-topping ram purchases this season, paying the $6500 top at the Grathlyn Merino on-property ram sale at Hargraves on Thursday, October 29.
Grathlyn sold 22 of 40 rams under the hammer for an average of $2125. In the breakdown, 16 of 26 two-year-olds sold to a top of $6500, averaging $2250, while six of 14 one-year-olds sold to $3000, averaging $1792.
A further three rams were sold immediately after auction.
The top price was paid by Brett McDonald, Oakvale, Williamsdale, for Grathlyn Pink 382, a 15.6-micron March-shorn shed ram sired by Stanley Vale. It followed his top-priced buys at Conrayn, near Berridale last week and Merryville in September.
"I bought a Stanley Vale ram at Armidale in February, and for us he can cross with anything I've ever had," Mr McDonald said.
"That was the main reason I wanted him - that and his micron."
He said the ram also had a lovely open head, beautiful wool and a good bit of growth.
The McDonalds also paid $2750 for Grathlyn White 88, a 16.1-micron ram by Merryville, to average $4625 for their two.
Mr McDonald runs a self-replacing Merino flock at Oakvale with his brother Michael and Michael's son Aaron, the eighth generation on the property. They shear more than 4000 Merinos.
"I'm a wool producer," Mr McDonald said.
The family's latest clip, tested in early October, averaged 16.2 micron, with a staple length of 88mm and staple strength of 41 newtons per kilotex. Mr McDonald said that came despite a tough 12 months, with no grass and no water until February.
Two rams shared the second top price of $3000.
Robert Blewitt, Williamsdale, purchased Grathlyn 24-307, a 15.4-micron ram by L92. Mr Blewitt bought three rams in all, averaging $2333.
Neil Roche, Homewood stud, Dalton, paid the same for Grathlyn 25-30, a 14.6-micron one-year-old shed ram by Little N, and bought two rams to average $2250.
Mr Roche said he was after stylish white wool that carried right through, with good bellies and good open heads.
"There's a lot of tight-horn sheep out there these days, so we're after a good open head," he said.
The rams will go to work in the Homewood stud, where the Roches breed rams to sell privately.
Michael and Jenny Hedges, Willow Vale, Yass, also bought three rams, averaging $1833. This included Grathlyn 24-306 for $2500, a 14.8-micron two-year-old by L92.
The Hedges are repeat buyers who have bought Grathlyn rams for more than six years, and particularly chase the stylish Grathlyn wool. Their new rams will be joined in April.
The family also sells its own wool under the Willow Vale Wool brand, as four and eight ply yarn and combing tops for handspinners and felters, in both superfine Merino and comeback wool.
"We really focus on the bright whiteness and the softness of the wool," Mrs Hedges said.
In May they opened a shop in Yass, which also sells herringbone throws and baby blankets made at Waverley Mills in Tasmania from their superfine Merino wool.
Mont Waters, Beltana, Tumbarumba, bought two two-year-old rams to average $1500. Mr Waters was looking for micron, style and size, and said this was his eighth consecutive Grathlyn sale. His rams will be paddock joined in April.
HEAT Grazing, Jerrawa, also took two rams to average $1750, GU Coltman and VM Coddington, Weedallion, two to average $1500, and GS and PK Murray, Laggan, two to average $1375.
Welcoming buyers before the sale, Grathlyn's Andrew Rayner said nothing would change at the stud.
"This is what we want to do, this is where we want to be, so nothing's going to change going forward," he said.
"Everybody would have been here before at some point, so you know what you're buying, you know what you're getting, and it will remain the same in the future."
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Livestock, with John Settree as auctioneer.
