Yarrawonga Merino Stud’s Georgia Phillips, Steve Phillips, Damian Meaburn (Stud Consultant), Ben Patrick, Sam Phillips and Paul Dooley (Auctioneer) pictured with the two top selling rams at their sale on Monday. Both rams were bought by Tasmanian studs, with the top selling ram (left) selling for $20,000.00.
The Yarrawonga Merino Stud On-Site Sale took place at ‘Cunningham Plains’ on Monday, with four rams selling above the 2014 benchmark of $11,500 and none passed in. The highest selling ram was bought by ‘Leenavale’ of Sorell, in Tasmania, selling for $20,000.00. Another Tasmanian property, ‘Rockford’ of Bothwell, purchased the second highest selling ram at $18,000. Two other rams were sold for $12,000 apiece, with a $3,266.00 average price for the 173 ram sale.
“That’s just unbelievable!” said Steve Phillips of Yarrawonga Merino Stud at the conclusion of the sale. The numbers at the sale eclipsed those set in 2014, where the average was $2,267.00. The 2015 on-site sale saw an increase in the average price of 44 percent. Bidders came from around the state as well as Victoria, with the Tasmanians making a significant impact on the market. Tasmanian studs have made their presence known on the Mainland, with many attending the South West Slopes Merino Field Day at the Galong Monastery on September 3, prior to most of the on-site Merino sales in the region.
“It’s been solid all the way through,” said Sam Phillips of Yarrawonga. “It’s the best we have ever had the rams.” On-site sales continue throughout the region, with the Demondrille Merino Stud holding theirs on September 22, with the auction beginning at 1:00 pm.
