Grathlyn Merino Stud had an outstanding showing at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo, making history in the Ultrafine results and showing the Supreme Merino before selling the ram for the show’s highest auction price.
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“You almost had to pinch Gai and I to know we were alive,” said Max Rayner, who operates Grathlyn with his wife Gai.
The show this year received record entries, with 2600 animals in competition for the top awards and close to 500 fleeces.
The merino was this year’s feature breed, and was represented by 834 sheep from hundreds of studs.
“He’s almost perfect; he has tremendous wool quality, tremendous staple length and a great sirey outlook. I’ve seen ewes as good as him, but I’ve never seen a ram that is better.”
“They say it’s the biggest sheep show in the world,” Mr Rayner said.
Grathlyn had the Champion Open Ultrafine ram and ewe, Grand Champion Ultrafine ram and ewe, and Reserve Champion Ultrafine Ram, as well as winning both the Champion March and August Shorn categories for ewes and rams.
Never before had a stud taken so many of the highest Ultrafine honours.
Grathlyn also had the Reserve Champion Open Superfine Ewe, Reserve Champion August Shorn Superfine Ewe, and the Champion March Shorn Superfine Poll Ewe.
The stud’s Supreme Merino winner was also Champion August Shorn Superfine Ram, Champion Open Superfine Ram, Grand Champion Superfine Ram and Grand Champion Ram, and went on to fetch the show’s highest price at auction, selling for $25,000 to a syndicate of five studs.
The same ram was Grand Champion August Shorn Ram at the Sydney Show.
Walwa stud of Gurrundah was the majority buyer in the syndicate, with Demondrille of Harden, Conrayn of Berridale, Hillcresten Park of Bigga and Merrignee Merino stud of Boorowa getting semen rights.
Mr Rayner said the five buyers were all “wonderful personal friends – and major opposition to us!”
Walwa principal Alan McCormack said he had never seen a better ram.
“I came down with half an idea of buying him, and when I saw him I thought, ‘That’s it, I will buy this sheep’,” Mr McCormack said.
“He’s almost perfect; he has tremendous wool quality, tremendous staple length and a great sirey outlook. I’ve seen ewes as good as him, but I’ve never seen a ram that is better.”
Grathlyn was a runner-up in the National Pairs, after winning the title last year.
