Secret Rocks stud continues buying spree of Greenfields Merino, Poll Merino rams

Both these rams were sons of Collinsville Masterbuilt 252 and proved popular with intense bidding from several parties.

Last year's dual top price buyer, Yarrah Nominees, Ceduna, paid the top money again for the lot 2 Poll Merino.

The 112 kilogram ram had a greasy fleece weight 13 per cent above the stud's average.

It was carrying a 21.6 micron fleece which had a standard deviation of 3.5, coefficient of variation of 16.1pc and comfort factor of 98.8pc.

Yarrah Nominees' Bradley Burge said they were purchasing to "top up their breeding stud rams".

"Where these rams are going it will be dry and they will be able to handle it out there," he said.

Yarrah Nominees left their mark on the catalogue with 12 rams for a $3816 average. This also included the second highest price Poll Merino which made $7000.

The Burge family have been using Greenfields bloodlines for more than 30 years and said the sheep perfectly suited their breeding program and the harsh West Coast conditions.

The rams will be used over the family's three properties and to breed rams for their station.

The $10,000 top priced Merino and the sale high came at lot 34, bought by another long time client Brenton Stratford and family, Tumby Bay.

Mr Stratford said the Lot 34 ram was a "beautiful sheep" and added to the two rams he had bought from Greenfields in the Adelaide Merino ram sale last week for $13,000 and $12,000 for his Secret Rocks stud.

The 19.5M horned ram had wool testing 2.9SD, 14.7CV and 99.8CF and weighed 120.5kg.

"We have bought from the Sullivans for about nine or 10 years now, and they go very well," he said.

There were a number of factors behind buying the Greenfields rams but Mr Stratford said they complemented their flock.

"They have a lovely weight and nourished wool on a heavy boned sheep with a great barrel," he said.

Overall 120 rams were offered and sold in the main auction by the Sullivan families for a $2055 average This was back about $220 on 2022's main sale.

There was little difference between the Merino and Poll Merino averages with 48 Merinos averaging $2039 and 72 Poll Merinos averaging $2065.

In the mini auction that followed, 36 rams were offered with 27 sold to a top of $1900 and $1096 average.

Of these, all 16 Merinos sold to a $1700 high and $1081 average while 20 Poll Merinos were offered and 11 sold to a top of $1900 and $1118 average.

Greenfields' stud co-principal James Sullivan said they were really pleased with the sale.

"We had a good Adelaide Show and good ram sale, we are pleased with that result," he said.

"We have had really good support from our repeat and new buyers."

Co-principal Robert Sullivan said the new bloodlines had proved popular among buyers and had increased the Greenfields' dual-purpose sheep breeding traits.

"We have had a couple of new clients from today. We do have some really loyal repeat buyers who return every year. This was a good sale with a pretty enormous result," he said.

Thirty-three registered buyers from across SA, from Ceduna and Port Lincoln to Naracoorte in the state's South East, descended on the sale.

Some rams also made their way to Broken Hill, NSW.

Volume local buyers included Hill River Station, Clare, which took 20 rams averaging $1725, while South Gum Creek Partnership, Farrell Flat, took 16 lots for a $1318 average.

Nutrien studstock auctioneer Gordon Wood said it was a really solid sale and they received a tremendous result.

"To clear everything in the main sale, it's a really good result given the current market we are in," he said.

He said the Greenfields ram was displaying the dual-purpose traits people were chasing.

Elders studstock auctioneer Tony Wetherall said it was an outstanding sale.

"The result today is a credit to the Greenfields Merino and Poll Merino studs," he said.

From the first lot right through to the end, he said the competition on Greenfield rams was strong.

The sale was conducted by both Elders and Nutrien Ag Solutions.