RAM FAIR 'AT TIMARU

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27603, 9 March 1955, Page 16

RAM FAIR 'AT TIMARU

RECORD PRICE FOR ROMNEY MARSH ONLY BEST LOTS SELL WELL (From Our Own Reporter) „ TIMARU, March 8. The record price at the Timaru annual rani fair was topped today when Mr G. 3. Giddings, Meadowslea, Fairlie, obtained 325gns for a Romney Marsh oneshear stud ram. Mr Giddings also topped the market last year. • B S Mr Giddings, the ram was sired by a Rata ram bred by J. Mathews, wairongomai Stud, Featherston. It was a very fine sheep showing the best characteristics of the breed. Another ram on . the same account brought -200gns. The second day of the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual and ewe fair had a catalogue of 1178 entered. The yarding was a very mixed lot—the top half of the catalogue “ ad a splendid type of Romney Marsh, but the rest of the pens were of poor quality and buyers showed marked discrimination. There was no demand for the poorer sorts and passings were frequent. The -estate of D. Robertson, Merry vale, Waikoikoi, obtained 275gns for a oneshear Romney Marsh ram, the second highest price for stud sheep. Bred from a Merrivale sheep, this ram had Leedstown and Waikoa blood lines. The same vendors sold two other rams at lOOgns each and a fourth for 130gns. Three oneshear flock rams entered by Mr Giddings made 70gns to share top price with the estate of D. Robertson, which also sold a pen of three good-type sheep. Selling price for Romneys ranged from 70gns for the best to 9gns for the poorer entries. There was only a small entry of Corriedale flock rams. They did noj: appeal and the top price was only 12gns. Ten pens made up the total of stud ewes and the best price was for twoshear sheep at 7gns. The same price was given for three three-shear sheep. For the two dayS'of the fair it can be said that the market tended to be oversupplied with Southdown flock rams last week, and only the best lots of Romneys appealed to buyers today.

UNREGISTERED RAM SALE AT TINWALD

Competition was keen for good quality rams at the unregistered ram sale at Tinwald on Monday. Recognised fat lamb breeds, particularly Southdown-Border Leicester cross, were in demand, but heavy breeds such as Romneys received little attention. Prices were a shade under those at last year’s sale. There was an entry of about 590 rams. The best price for the sale was 30gns for eight South-down-Border Leicester cross sold for A. R. G. Donaldson and Son (Elgin). Some of the best sales were:— Southdown-Border Leicester.—A. R. G. Donaldson and Son, 37 one-shear at 20gns to 30gns; C. F. Sharp (Rdngitata Island), 7 at 21gns to 22gns; W. H. King (Winchmore), 20 at 24gns to 29gns; K. F. Butterick (Wakanul), 4 at 23gns; N. G. Scott and Son (Dunsandel), 6 at 25gns to 27gns; L. W. Bell (Winslow), 4 at 24gns. Southdown.—A. P. Bruce (Pendarves), 8 at 21gns to 23gns: N. G. Scott and Son, 4 at 20gns to 24gns. ( South-Suffolk.—A. P. Bruce. 8 at 21gns to 23gns; W. G. Sheate (Westerfield), 3 at 21gns.