SheepMaster sets a $25,000 stud record

The inaugural Elders National SheepMaster Ram Sale reached a stud record top-price of $25,500 on Friday at Elleker, with bids securing rams for local, Eastern States and overseas buyers.

Overall, 42 rams were offered and sold to an average price of $4752, a SheepMaster stud record.

Elders auctioneer Nathan King said the sale was very strong.

“Bidding was very competitive from some good judges of sheep,” he said.

SheepMaster stud principal Neil Garnett, who established the shedding-type breed, said he was delighted with the sale.

“The catalogue contained some very young rams, many from five to seven months of age,” he said. “We achieved above our expectations. Rams sold throughout Australia and to an overseas buyer.”

SheepMaster Group chairman Tim Clarke welcomed a crowd of 125 visitors, including 29 registered bidders, to White Dog Lane, the parent stud for SheepMaster.

“You are participating in this truly historic event for our Australian sheep industry,” he said.

“Neil’s breakthrough with SheepMaster has taken 26 years of his 55 years in the global sheep industry.”

The sale topper, SheepMaster Hercules 100, was secured by Josh Everett, of Perth, who was bidding on behalf of his mother, Phillipa Hamersley-Everett, of Angevin SheepMaster stud, at Tenterfield, NSW.

The sire was sold with 50 per cent semen rights retained by the parent stud.

Mrs Hamersley-Everett said she had gravitated to the SM Hercules bloodline after buying her first ram, a son of Hercules, from the stud last year.

She also secured more than 50 stud ewes from the founding SheepMaster stud.

“The opportunity to purchase the sire was awesome,” she said.

The 31/2-year-old ram weighed 142kg and recorded a eye muscle depth of 48.5mm and had a 9.1 per cent fat scan.

Mrs Hamersley-Everett said SheepMasters were ideal sheep for the region where she farmed, at the border of NSW and Queensland.

“Shedding sheep are growing in popularity as are their stud values,” she said. “I have been building my stud flock in anticipation of selling rams next year.”

The under-bidder on Hercules 100 was Ray White Livestock agent Andrew Hodgson, who was bidding on behalf of Juan Mailhos, of Estancia Santander, of Uruguay.

Mr Hodgson was successful on two other younger rams, for $14,000 and $10,000, for his overseas client.

“Juan is a first-time buyer who runs a commercial sheep and cattle enterprise,” he said. “He is just starting to run shedding sheep replacing some of the farm’s British breed background.”

Mr Hodgson’s second pick ram, SM Monarch 384, sired by SM Monarch 215, was 10 months old and weighed 89kg with an eye muscle depth of 40mm and a fat of 3.1 per cent.

Mr Garnett said SM Monarch 384 was a special stud ram that completed shedding its wool coat by July.

Mr Hodgson also secured seven-month-old SM Purple 073, sired by SM Apollo, a sire regarded as the best so far from its family line.

The $7500 third top-priced ram, 14-month-old SM Zerc ll (191) was secured by Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer who was bidding on behalf of Nutrien Ag Solutions Wagga Wagga agent James Croker, who was operating through AuctionsPlus.

Mr Croker also bought younger rams for $5600 and $4600 for his clients.

Mr Spicer secured a total of 10 rams for AuctionPlus bidders for an average price of $4830.

Elders agent Nigel Hawk secured a $5700 ram, SM Green 001, on behalf of Cosh Property Trust, of Albany.

Other WA buyers were active on rams throughout the catalogue including Caluka Farms, at Albany, which secured a $5000 ram.

Denmark-based trading account Yilgarnia secured a $5000 ram.

The Williams family, of Mogumber Plains, secured rams for $4800 and $4600.

Tony and Jo Slattery of Twin Peaks, at Gnowellen, secured rams for $4600 and $3600.

“We are building a pure SheepMaster herd,” Mr Slattery said.

“They (SheepMaster) are low maintenance with high fertility, produce good strong lambs that turn-off quickly.”

Elders National SheepMaster Ram Sale

Offered: 42

Sold: 42

Top price: $25,500

Average: $4752