Near-Record Price For Romney Ram At Gore

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 4

Near-Record Price For Romney Ram At Gore

(New Zealand Press Association)

GORE, January 24. A top price of 5400gns, realised for a stud Romney Marsh shearing ram, went close to toppling the world record of 5600gns for a ram of the breed established in the North Island recently, when the seventh annual Southern Provinces Ram Fair was held at Gore yesterday. ■ The top price of the fair was paid to the well-known Mcrryvale studmasters, J. D. and W. T. Robertson and Company, Waikoikoi, by another West Otago stud, Rosemerryn, Kelso, Ltd. Although the overall average was not quite up to last, year s, when the top price was 3425gn5, the sale was a strong one. In all, 133 Romney rams were sold at auction for a grand total of 63,915gn5. setting the day's average at 480jgns. Last year total receipts were 51.215gns from 101 rams, an average of 507gns. The attendance, of about 1000. was the same as for the last year or two and again included a number of North Island buyers. Rams from the fair will go to such North Island destinations as Tuakau. Hastings. Palmerston North, Marton and Masterton, and to South Island districts extending from Tuatapere to Nelson. Strong Demand Tie demand was strong almost throughout, but particularly so when quality sheep from the better-known studs were offered. Of the catalogued entry of 176 head, 133 were sold, 37 were passed in and six lots were withdrawn. Passings came mainly towards the end of each round.

The partnership of J. D. and W. T. Robertson and Company easily took top honours at the fair. Its entry of 27 head was the largest and a realisation of 24,700gns gave it a clear top average of just on 915gns. The company also took second individual price honours with 3100gns paid by White Bros. (Onr.akau). It sold another at 1600gns to A. W. Matthews and Son and Owen Wyeth (Masterton).

Although selling only one sheep in the four figure range. H. H. Robertson and Company (Walkoikoi) secured the second best average of 568gns with consistent sales at from 100gns to 1600gns. Rams on this account were offered for unreserved sale. A sale of seven rams for 3575gns gave J. N. Brenssell and Sons (Heriot) third best average at 511gns. High Averages

Also averaging more than 500gns were A. T. Ottrey and Son (Crookston), who eight years ago sold a ram at Gore for 3800gns. a sum then believed to be a world record for the Romney breed. On this occasion they disposed of nine rams for 4550gns. The third best individual sale of the day went to the credit cf the Fairlie breeder. G. S. Giddings. His top entry sold at 2200gns to A. R. Murray (Morton Mains), and his average for the day was 505jgns.