Roger reels in Imperial first in Tas

The 16-month-old Imperial Roger - from Josh Wiltshire and Sam Edwards' Imperial stud - has set sail for its new home at Ridgeside Romneys, Evandale, Tas.

Mr Wiltshire said Ridgeside stud principal Andrew Hogarth contacted Imperial stud after the Royal Adelaide Show in September with an enquiry for a stud sire.

"Andrew saw our rams for Adelaide online and after his enquiry we sent some photos back and forth of our rams," he said.

"He wanted a 'new age' Romney ram and he liked Roger's clean face and muscle, with fine to medium wool.

"Roger cut a 9-kilogram 26-micron fleece and will introduce new genetics to the Ridgeside stud."

Imperial is also the only SA Romney stud registered with Lambplan, another factor which worked in the stud's favour.

"Andrew said it was good to see young breeders bringing Romneys into the mainstream via Lambplan, which also gives him a bit more info," Mr Wiltshire said.

The sale is very exciting for Imperial, being the stud's first stud ram sale and heading to a large stud and commercial flock across Bass Strait.

Ridgeside Romneys - one of the oldest Romney studs in Australia - runs about 140 stud ewes alongside a commercial flock of more than 300 Romney ewes. Roger is its first SA ram buy.

* Full report in Stock Journal, November 13, 2014 issue.