White River 2022 Sale Report

Last year’s record price of $23,000 has been beaten. There was a full clearance of the 160 magnificent big bodied, free growing, white wooled, White River rams – selling to a top of $24,000 a new stud on property record and averaging $3270.

Thursday’s White River Merino and Poll Merino auction, August 4, saw the hammer fall at $24,000 for Lot 2 – a ram described by Elders Stud Stock Tony Wetherall as one which oozed size and quality that stood tall and proud.

Lot 2 – sired by Wallaloo Park 226 (a ram that sold for $75,000 at the 2020 Adelaide Ram Sale) – had a micron reading of 21.9, S.D 3.3, C.V 15, C.F 98.5, Fat score of 6.4, E.M.D of 41.5 with a body weight of 122kg and was described by the Daniell family as a great potential stud sire that was hard to fault.

Purchased by Oakfarms Merino Stud, of Buckleboo SA, the ram will go on to support the Lienert’s breeding operations.

This ram attracted attention on the travels to the Hay sheep show in June, also at the Australian sheep and wool show in Bendigo and the EP stud breeders Pre sale ram expo held at Wudinna in July. He is sired by Wallaloo Park 226 (who sold for $75,000 at the 2020 Adelaide Ram sale) and he is out of a top Premier 733 ewe.

Wes Daniell said “Lot 2 was a genuine modern day dual purpose merino. With outstanding carcass and confirmation, and structural correctness – carrying a long stapled crimpy sire’s wool”.

Representing Oakfarms Merino Stud, Nick Lienert, said they have been buying White River bloodlines for nearly 20 years now.

“As a stud we have grown to the point where we are able to use our own bred sires in our stud breeding program. We make elite level purchases from other studs annually to help us take our own stud sire genetics to the next level.”

“White River’s Lot 2 had a bit of a following this year across local and interstate events with his big square structure and impressive wool. He’s very good on his feet and has a lovely bold, crimpy wool with good sirey type traits.

He’s sired by Wallaloo Park 226. Our stud classer, Paul Cousins, has been keeping an eye on this bloodline for a while for us now to add to our genetics here at Oakfarms,” explained Nick Lienert.

“We are very happy with our purchase and excited to see his genetics do excellent things in our stud.”

Lot 3 sold to Eungai Merino Stud, Miling WA for $8,000 he is a plain bodied, free growing, white crimpy wool, son of WR 661. Sold via Auctions Plus.

The strong bidding didn’t stop there though.

Lot 5, purchased for $17,500 through bidding on AuctionsPlus by Roger and Luke Matthews from Borambil Merino Stud, Corowa NSW, and was also described by Mr Wetherall as “another star” from the lineup. Roger and Luke saw the ram on display in July at the Australian Sheep and Wool show in Bendigo.

“He [lot 5] is a good-sized ram. A very smart sheep with a very good testing micron wool on him with lots of sparkle in his wool. We’re in a higher rainfall area than White River and feel that generally South Australian sheep are broader in micron, however, this ram’s wool tests really ticked boxes for us and what we aim to breed. We think he’s a very special ram and I look forward to seeing how he performs in our stud alongside our Moorundie bloodlines.” Comments Roger Matthews, Borambil Merino Stud, Corowa NSW.

Wes Daniell said “Lot 5 is from our hugely successful WR 881 family, carrying an outstanding wool with wool tests of micron 17.6, SD 2.3, CV 12.9, CF 100%”. This ram oozes exceptional wool quality and wool growing skin, suitable for higher rainfall areas. He is a very safe ram that stands well and has a beautiful pure soft muzzle and carries the PP gene”.

Lot 21 started the Merino ram offering selling for $8,500 to PW & SJ Gutsche, Yorke Peninsula son of Promotor 212-14, carrying excellent wool tests of Micron 18.7, SD 3.1, CV 16.5, CF 99.9

Lot 25 sired by Promotor 212, with wool tests Micron 19.8, SD 2.8, CV 14.2, CF 99.5, and also reached to a top of $8,500 purchased by Wayne Jacobs, Minnipa.

Wonga pastoral snapped up two quality Merino Rams both at $6,000. Both sons of Promotor 212-14.

Mallee Hill Merino Stud, Ceduna was the successful purchaser of Lot 23 for $7,500 and is a son of WR 0002 (Wallaloo Park 112 family). With wool tests of Micron 19.5, SD 3.0, CV 15.5, CF 99.9

Another standout sale for the day was Lot 28, a completely paddock run ram, which sold for $19,000 to Rob Macartney, of NSW via AuctionsPlus bidding.

Lot 28, sired by M 388 Family (Moorundie), with a micron of 20.4, SD 2.8, CV 13.8, CF 99.6, fat score of 4.6, EMD 41.1, caught the eye of Mr Macartney and was another ram who showed he meant business. Returning buyer, Rob Macartney from NSW, said Lot 28 was a “big sound ram, that stands well” and was impressed by how he “filled the pen right up on sale day with his long body.” Rob was looking to add a good quality ram to his flock that cuts plenty of wool and produces fast growing progeny.

Lot 28 is sired by White River’s top son of Moorundie 388. This ram is set off by a very strong head and big sirey pure muzzle, a very good Poll factor and a rare combination of length of body and stands square on all feet and legs and is well covered in a long stapled, white, well defined crimpy wool of top quality.

Volume buyers and long term clients of White River included West Wimmera Beef, Nhill Victoria who purchased 34 rams to a top of $5,600 averaging $3632. Lairg Station, Sheringa SA purchased 30 rams to top of $1200 averaging $1046. Mark, Nigel & John Turnbull of Cleve, SA purchased 14 rams to top of $3000 averaging $1971. WG Fuss & Sons Cummins purchased 10 rams to top of $6500 averaging $4165. JW Michael, Wudinna SA purchased 7 rams to a top of $5000 averaging $3485.

Further notable support of the sale included Jindalee P/L & Kappacoola Park, Wudinna, who purchased four rams to a top of $6,000 and Kaira Pty Ltd, Wirrulla, securing four rams to a top of $7,000 including Lot 1.

White River sold to six studs across Australia.

“White River’s 2022 sale rams can only be described as being impressive in size, shape and wool cutting ability. A large offering of even rams with volume and capacity met with strong bidding from repeat commercial producers with existing and new stud buyers,” commented Gordon Wood, Nutrien Livestock.

It was a solid sale day for the Daniell family who have produced what Mr Wetherall describes as a full genetic package.

White River stud principal Wes Daniell was pleased with the lineup for 2022.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve got here today…it’s been a really good season so far and was looking better than previous years,” he said.

Once again AuctionsPlus was instrumental in allowing interstate breeders to operate on rams during the sale. The sale was conducted through Elders this year with Tony Wetherall, Elders and Gordon Wood, Nutrien Ag solutions auctioneering the sale.

Sale breakdown:

Merino result 22 offered/22 sold, to a top of $8500 twice, average of $3377.

Poll Merino result 138 offered/138 sold to a top of $24,000, average of $3253.

Total clearance of 160 lots offered and sold, Ave $3270. Top of $24,000.