Ardene offers best ever line up - Ardene Australian Whites - Australian White Sheep

Ardene offers best ever line up, interstate buyers active

Stock and Land. Joely Mitchell @joelyjournalist 19 Oct 2018, 4:30 p.m.

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TOP EWE: Jannie Hodgson, Ardene Australian White stud, Darlington, top-priced ewe buyer Gemma Chenik, 'Windsong Valley Estate', Bedfordale, WA, Bruce Hodgson, Ardene, and Nick Lawrence, Pinnacle Livestock Selections

*19 of 20 stud ewes sold to $2750, av $1832
*Total clearance of 10 stud rams sold to $4000 (twice), av $2450
*29 of 74 flock rams sold to $3000, av $1141

ARDENE offered its best ever line up of Australian White rams and ewes at its on-property sale on Friday, and while local and interstate bidders eagerly snapped up much of the offering, the overall clearance rate was impacted by the drought.

An impressive line up of 20 stud ewes, 10 stud rams and 74 flock rams were offered, with 56 per cent of the 104 lots clearing.

Co-principal of the Darlington stud, Bruce Hodgson, said while the flock rams were the hardest hit, he was really impressed with how the stud offering sold.

And it was a buyer from Western Australia who dominated in the stud ewe offering.

Gemma Chenik, 'Windsong Valley Estate', Bedfordale, WA, purchased five ewes, as well as one ram, topping at $2750.

It was purely coincidental that Ms Chenik was able to attend the sale, having just returned from a holiday in New Zealand, and was on her way to Sydney to visit family. But she had been conducting a lot of online research into Australian White genetics in recent times, as she is in the process of starting her own Australian White stud. “When I started researching shedding breeds, Australian Whites really stood out, they're so versatile and easy to maintain,” she said.

She said her top ewe had an “exceptional” carcase type. “She's nice and smooth, and has impressive shape,” she said.

 

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Nick Lawrence, Pinnacle Livestock Selections, purchased the top-priced ram on behalf of KD Sheep Stud, Mundulla, SA. He is pictured with Jannie and Bruce Hodgson, Ardene Australian White stud, Darlington.

Two rams hit the top price in the sale, $4000, lots 21 and 22.

Lot 21 was purchased by Nick Lawrence, Pinnacle Livestock Selections, on behalf of KD Sheep Stud, Mundulla, SA.

Mr Lawrence judged the ram at the Royal Adelaide Show, SA, earlier this year, and said he had excellent skin and type, with a sirey outlook. “He's going to add muscling and scaling right through the flock,” he said. Mr Lawrence also purchased a second ram and a ewe for the stud, who runs Australian Whites, White Dorpers and composites.

The other top-priced ram, Lot 22, was purchased by 'Leridan'. Leridan purchased another eight rams, av $1517.

Another volume buyer was GW & BM Rogers, who purchased seven ewes to a top of $2250, av $1507.

The sale was the final sale Ardene will host at its Darlington property, as it gears up to relocated its operation to Mount Torrens, SA, later this year.