Hayelle stud leaves on high

At Hamilton Sheepvention in Vic last month, Hayden and Michelle Whittlesea exhibited the grand champion ram in the feature breed judging in a field of more than 250 entries from SA, Vic and NSW.

The ram went on to be reserve interbreed champion - a highlight for the stud.

But Hayelle's annual on-property ram sale on September 17, on the SA-Vic border, will be its final one after the Whittleseas sold the stud to keen young breeder Damien Hawker, Omad stud, Kaniva, Vic.

The Whittleseas started the stud in 1997 after they bought dispersing Yundarra stud which had 41 mixed-age ewes and 12 ewe lambs.

It has grown significantly, focusing on breeding "bigger rams to breed export lambs", and clients are doing well in the saleyards and over-hooks.

Hayelle also registered Poll Dorset, Border Leicester and White Dorper studs in ensuing years and grew to sell 300 rams a year in a "one-stop-ram shop".

Mr Whittlesea said the decision to disperse the White Suffolk stud was to enable them to spend more time with their three young children and focus on their commercial sheep operation.

"We want to thank our clients who have supported us and are looking forward to the future," he said.

He is thrilled the stud has been sold as a whole to Damien, a long-time family friend, and relocated just 15 kilometres away.

The Omad stud was established a decade ago with some cast-for-age stud ewes from Hayelle. The 140 stud ewes and ewe lambs involved in the sale will see Omad double in size.

Mr Hawker said his family had a large commercial ewe flock, which led him to start breeding White Suffolks.

"It is always something I wanted to do but I was just waiting for the right opportunity," he said.

"I have been selling rams privately for nine years but plan to have a sale in replacement to Hayelle's annual on-property ram sale next year offering roughly the same number of rams.

"I plan on keeping the stud commercially focussed and continue to get genetic performance gains under paddock conditions."

Mr Whittlesea has been chairperson of the Central Vic White Suffolk breeders for the past five years and the couple has been involved in setting up the Bendigo Elite White Suffolk Show and Sale, now in its fourth year.

Mr Whittlesea said the White Suffolk breed was in a "good state of affairs", affirming itself as one of the dominant terminal sire breeds.

Hayelle will offer its Hamilton champion ram at the Bendigo sale this weekend, and its final draft of 100 stud rams at the September 17 sale.