$3300 top for Tilba Tilba Merino

Medium and fine wool Merino and Poll Merino rams brought 25 registered buyers to the Rintoul family’s annual ram sale last week at Williams.

While the medium wool Dongiemon rams found solid support, reaching a top price of $1700 twice, it was a superfine Tilba Tilba Merino ram that set the bar, reaching a top of $3300.

Stud principal Stuart Rintoul said it was a good sale for both buyers and his family’s stud business, with many repeat clients in attendance and a few new buyers.

DongiemonMedium micron Merino rams found good support at the annual Dongiemon ram sale with prices reaching a top price of $1700 and average price of $1010, after 95 rams sold.

Buying off the top-line and selecting for size and quality wool, 25-year repeat buyer Kevin Winspear, of Broomehill, secured one of the sale toppers, a 20.7 micron Merino ram with a 99.3 comfort factor.

Mr Winspear, who runs a flock of 1600 ewes, bought a total of seven rams for an average price of $1300.

The other equal top-price buyer was Carnamah woolgrower David Humphry, of Mokowe Pty, who said he was selecting for heavy cutters between 19 and 21 micron.

Mr Humphry secured a total of three rams for an average price of $1300.

The $1600 equal-second top-price buyer was local woolgrower and long-time repeat buyer Mark Fowler, who secured a total of five rams for an average price of $1340.

Also securing a $1600 ram was Cuballing woolgrower Mike Burges, of Commodine Farm, who took home a total of eight rams for an average price of $1125.

“The rams in today’s sale were productive, soft-handling types that would cut a lot of wool,” he said.

Mr Burges said he ran 1600 breeding ewes, with a 94 per cent lambing success this season.

“I am a sound believer in running wethers and currently we have 1400, which add substantially to the farm’s revenue.”

Also bidding throughout the catalogue was Anne Kennedy, of Williams, who paid $1500 for lot one and secured a total of six rams for an average price of $1120.

“My family have been buying at Dongiemon for the last 20 years and we appreciate the long staple which is consistent with the stud,” she said.

Tilba TilbaFine and superfine rams from the Tilba Tilba catalogue raised the bar with a $3300 overall top price.

Although a very special stud superfine Merino ram was much admired during pre-sale inspections, it failed to find a buyer and was passed in.

Mr Rintoul said the 16.4 micron ram, which was awarded reserve grand champion Merino ram at the recent Perth Royal Show after winning the superfine champion ribbon, would go back into the stud and its fleece would be exhibited at shows in 2017.

Another superfine ram found solid support and was secured by York woolgrower Rodney Ludgate, who trades as Cobham Pastoral.

Mr Ludgate said he appreciated the ram’s even fleece and would use it in a nucleus to breed his own flock rams for his family’s 1000 ewe flock.

The 16.4 micron ram was sired by a long-running Tilba Tilba family which goes back to a Koonwarra ram.

Also buying on the top-line of superfine Merinos was Greg Cocking, of EH & BH Cocking, of Wannamal, who secured a 16 micron ram for $2100.

Account Saxonvale, of Crossman, representing a new buyer at the sale, secured a 15.8 micron Merino for $1800 and another 16.4 micron ram for $1000.

Tilba Tilba Poll Merino rams reached a top price of $1300 with WA College of Agriculture, Harvey, securing that 18.8 micron Poll and also paying $1200 and $1000 for two other Polls.

The college’s technical officer Steve Adams said the rams would be used in the school’s Mornington stud.

Merredin woolgrowers Colin and Dianne Miller, of Glenview Acres, secured four Poll rams to a top-price of $1200 and average price of $1100.

Landmark agent Ben Kealy secured six Polls on behalf of account G & GM Klug, of Williams, for an average price of $900.