Collinsville hits $39,000 sale high

Collinsville stud celebrated a triumphant return to the South Australian Stud Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at the Adelaide showgrounds after a 14-year absence with its top price ram making $39,000 last Friday.

The sale-topper was a 116 kilogram May 2009 drop AI son of Collinsville Majestic - a ram sold to the Sherlock stud, Sherlock, last year for $30,000-00.

It has wool measurements of 21.5 micron with a standard deviation of 3.1, coefficient of variation of 14.4 per cent, comfort factor of 99.5pc and a carcase with 43 millimetres eye muscle depth and 8mm fat.

The successful purchasers of Collinsville 439, out of an Imperial 052 daughter, were a Western Australian syndicate comprising the Kolindale Poll stud at Dudinin and Willemenup Poll Stud Gnowangerup.

Kolindale Poll stud principal Luke Ledwith described the ram as ' perfectly made' with a large frame and really good wool.  He said it ended the stud's two year Australia-wide search for a new poll sire.

It was the highest price at Adelaide for more than 20 years and equalled the previous best in recent years, achieved for Glenlea Park ram 'Olympic' sold at the Classings' Classic sale in 2008 at Murray Bridge.

Frantic bidding continued the following lot, the $25,000 second top price and another Collinsville ram from an ET flush.

The Imperial 007 son caught the eye of 2009 Royal Adelaide Show Merino judge and Argentine sheep classer Michael Gough and is bound for export selling to Compania DeTietzas stud, Argentina.

Imperial 007 was among Collinville's 2009 top price private sale rams, selling for $20,000 to Carriecowie stud, Minlaton.

Collinsville stud manager Tim Dalla said it was pleasing the stud's top sales were produced from rams sired by their 2009 top price private sale rams.

"Studs can use our genetics with confidence and know they will breed on," he said.

"It is very pleasing we will be back selling in the number one position again next year too."

In the breakdown, 100 of the 117 Merino and Poll Merino rams averaged $5,550 - smashing last years $4309 average and again setting the pace for multi-vendor Merino ram sales in Australia.

In just 2.5 hours, the 19 South Australian and Victorian exhibitors picedted $555,000 with rams selling to all corners of Australia and four will be exported to Argentine and Chile.

Eleven rams were knocked down to studs for more than $10,000, including the $23,000 Nyowee ram which set the pace early in the sale and was bought by Robin Blyth, Carriecowie stud Minlaton and Ian and Fiona Kock, Bunyara stud, Moculta.

The 18.1M Poll Merino son of Myowee E1-430 impressed Mr Blyth with its 'good stylish wool with nourishment and purity'.

Peter and Marianne Wallis, Glenlea Park, Pinnaroo continued their run of high prices with two rams - full ET flush brothers - averaging $15,500.

Their $17,000 highest price ram was knocked down to Classings Limited with two thrids possession going to Scott Pickering, Pyramid Poll, Esperance, WA and semen shares to Keith and Judy Paech, Lucernbrae, Callington and Stuart Everett, Lone Gum, Crystal Brook.

Moorundie Park, Gulnare, the day's volume vendor with 30 rams, sold the top price Poll Merino autumn shorn ram for $15,000 to DP Adams, Edenhope.

Graham, Tom and Matt Ashby and familites, North Ashrose, Gulnare also cracked the $10,000 mark three times with their highest price ram - a strapping Poll Merino full wool selling to Nicholas Party for export to Chile for $15,000.  He will be used to infuse SA bloodlines into German Meat Merino flcok of 2400 ewes.

In many cases, commercial stud breeders reaping the reqards of a good wool and meat income were willing to pay up to $5,000 or more to secure flock improving sires.

Goodonga Props, Riverton was againstrong supporters of Myowee's draft buying seven rams for a $4000 average and Barcaldine Downs Pastoral Co, Barcaldine Dowsn, Queensland, lfeft its mark on the sale with five rams to $8,000.

Elders stud stock manager Tom Penna described the sale as "brilliant" and said the buzz of excitement and ocean of 144 registered bidders was reminiscent of the Adelaide sale in the mid to late 1980's and great for the Merino industry.

"This sale is where studs make statement either selling well or buying well," he said.

He noted buyers were looking for plain-bodied, easy-doing sires with solid eye muscle areas and quality wool tests.

Landmark stud stock's Gordon Wood said the outstanding presale vibe had translated into strong bidding.

Elders and Landmark conducted the sale with Tom Penna and Craig Shearer and Good Wood and Leo Redden the auctioneers.