Sale summary: 99 rams sold, top price $2300, average price $1485, 98pc clearance.
Current gloomy wool prices were no deterrent for buyers at the annual Terrick Merinos ram sale at Blackall on Tuesday, when all but two of the young sires were sold under the hammer.
Stud principals Rick and Jenny Keogh told the crowd buzzing with interest that they were the best rams they'd put up for sale to date and the results reflected that, including the best average price the stud has posted.
At last year's sale the average was $1192 and the top price was $2800.
"The wool market is on the nose but the fundamentals are right," Mr Keogh said. "There's no stockpile and we're in an era of pushback to natural fibres - it will right itself, it's just a matter of when."
Selling agent Beau Frame said the rams, acknowledged as the best the Keoghs had put up, sold themselves.
"They attracted new buying interest, and there were plenty who came to inspect - I think we'll see them back buying next year," Mr Frame said.
It was repeat buyers Willie and Marcelle Chandler, Home Creek, Barcaldine who paid both the top and second top price, outlaying $2300 and $2200 for horned rams sired by 14-0051 and 14-0069.
The long-term Egelabra clients purchased seven Terrick Merino rams two years ago to put over their AI ewes for a special sire breeding exercise, and Mr Chandler said the lambs were looking promising.
"We want to see what a hybrid cross between Terrick and Egelabra will do," Mr Chandler said.
"They're two different types - Terrick sheep have a longer body and longer-stapled wool.
"It's a benchmarking within benchmarking experiment - we each have different country, and we're always swapping ideas."
The third top price of $2100 was paid by Quilpie local Binny Pegler's Copai Pastoral business for a poll ram, and he finished the sale with 12 rams for an average of $1650.
Other volume buyers included David Cameron, Bungara Enterprises, Narrabri, NSW bidding via phone and securing 11 rams, the McNamara family from Abbotsford at Stamford, who bought 12 poll rams, the Batt family from Eldwick, Stonehenge, also with 12 rams, and Mims Grazing, Tucson, Longreach.
They purchased 13 rams for an average of $1192.
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Among the new buyers on the scene were Graeme and Sue McDonald's Albeni Partnership, which has 32,300ha of country in the Blackall district, buying seven rams.
Sam and Mandy Barwick, Mosquito Creek Partnership, Warialda, NSW secured three rams, along with CJ and LC Hannay, Aramac, while the Rogers family from Toobrack Grazing at Longreach went home with seven rams.
Longreach's Paula Dean bidded successfully for four rams, and Blackall's Bruce and Lisa Alexander purchased five rams.
The sale was held at the Blackall Showgrounds for the first time, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding public access to the previous saleyard venue.
The Keogh family is preparing for the 125th anniversary of the Terrick Terrick Merino Stud in 2021 and said they were very conscious of their connection with Australia's Merino history.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
