Wiringa Park Poll Merinos top at $6800 at annual sale

A Nyabing-bred Poll Merino ram sold to a top of $6800 at the Hobley family’s Wiringa Park Annual On-property Ram Sale that raised $4000 for charity. The sale, conducted by Nutrien Livestock on September 12, offered 197 rams, with 122 sold for an average price of $1846, down $918/head on last year when 191 rams sold for an average price of $2764. Wiringa Park stud co-principal Allan Hobley said he wanted to continue offering a full catalogue, knowing the dramatic change in the industry. “The passed-in rate was expected, but I still wanted to offer clients all the options available in their ram selections instead of reducing sale numbers. It goes without saying that Merino producers have been hit this year with extreme feed shortages from the late break of the growing season. This, combined with the loss of confidence in the sheep sector as a result of the Labor Government’s commitment to ban live sheep exports in 2028, will test this year’s WA ram selling season, as was the case at Wiringa Park, which kicked off some of the first sales. The sale remained buoyant with quality, however, with Williams-based Toorackie stud co-principal Dennis Haddrick returning to the sale to secure Wiringa Park 230194, offered as lot four, for the sale’s top price of $6800. Mr Haddrick said he admired the “make and shape” of the 110kg PP Poll Merino ram, AI-sired by WP 220450. “He has elite wool and stands very square,” he said. “I will run him over a selection of suitable stud ewes.” Mr Haddrick’s top-pick ram measured a fibre diameter of 18.7, recording a comfort factor of 99.7, and was in the top 5 per cent in the WP index (189.53) on Merinoselect. Mr Hobley said WP 230194 was sired by WP 220450 — named King, an outstanding son of WP37. “King was to be retained in the stud, but we had an exceptional offer and sold him for $70,000 to Lachlan Merinos (NSW) last year,” he said. “This sire, which has been used extensively in AI and (embryo transfer) programs, was a very complete young ram that stood out as a ram lamb. He had 17 sons in this year’s sale.” Lachlan Merinos stud co-principal Mitch Rubie said he was impressed with his first drop of King’s sons, now on the ground. Mr Rubie secured lot one, WP 230183, for $5800 at this year’s sale, bidding by phone through Nutrien Livestock stud stock agent Mitchell. “I had a look at this ram, a son of WP 37, at Bendigo (Australian Sheep and Wool Show) in July and liked his exceptional white and soft wool, and he was good on his feet,” Mr Rubie said. “He has good ASBV (Australian Sheep Breeding Values) with growth, carcase and heavy cutting wool figures.” Mr Rubie’s top pick measured a fibre diameter of 18.1 micron, and recorded ASBVs of 8.26 YWT, 9.48 PWT, and a top one per cent for WP (202.83) and YCFW (43.89). Returning to his second Wiringa Park sale, Kukerin-based woolgrower Nigel Faulkner secured the $6700 second top-priced ram, WP 230240, another son of WP 220450. Mr Faulkner said he admired the ram’s frame that carried a dense and stylish fleece. He said the ram would be used in a nucleus breeding program of 100 ewes to breed flock rams for his family’s 2100 self-replacing commercial breeding flock that produces an average 21 micron. “We bought our first Wiringa Park ram last year and were happy with the results,” Mr Faulkner said. With a buying order of 14 rams at last year’s sale, Simon Thomas, of Red Hill Farming Estate in Pingrup, returned to secure two rams for $5600 and $3400. Mr Thomas said he was selecting for structure and well-nourished wools to run in his family’s 6000 self-replacing flock. The two charity rams found good homes, with Clint Doland of Gum View Farming in Nyabing securing one for $2300 to complement his total buying order of six rams to a top of $3700 and average price of $2466. The other charity ram was sold for $1700 to Ongerup woolgrower Travis Hawkins, who also secured rams for $1200 and $800. Volume buyer was Tim Beeck of Glenorchy Estate, who secured eight rams to a top of $4000 and average price of $2300. “We are increasing our pure self-replacing Merino flock to build quality breeding into the flock,” he said. The Hobley children again made the sale their favourite after-school experience — “a favourite time of the year”. WIRINGA PARK RAM SALE Offered: 197 Sold: 122 Top price: $6800 Average: $1846