RECORD PRICE

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 3034, 17 March 1923, Page 5

RECORD PRICE

TOR MERINO RAM All records for New Zealand were broken a few days • ago, when the Lucernedale merino rani, 'Commotion-/ was sold at Blenheim for 1000 guineas. This sheep was brought to New Zealand by his breeder and owner, Mr. Arthur Collins, of Lucernedale, Mr Bryan, South Australia, for exhibition* He is one of the best rams bred by Mr Colling and was sired by Loyalty, who also sired the world's 'record priced rams, Fealty, sold for 4000 guineas, and Loyalist, sold for 4100 guineas. Delivery of the balance of the world's record shipment of stud -stock —800 Lucernedale Merinos, • valued at, £9OOO, was completed at Blenheim, when a great gathering of Merino breeders watched proceedings. " Commotion'' made a great appeal to these experts, and during the day, Mr C. E. Robertson, acting for Messrs Wright, Stephen- \ son and Co., Ltd., announced that the veteran breeder, Mr Charles Goulter, of Hawkesbury, Blenheim, had persuaded Mr Collins to let him keep "Commotion '' for use in his Hawkesbury stud. The price paid was 1000 guin-\ eas. Great excitement' was aroused at this announcement, and hearty cheers were given for the enterprising local breeder. The highest price previously : paid for an imported ram was 450 ' guineas and 390 guineas for a Now Zealand bred ram. Mr Goulter paid more than double this price for "Com- , motion,'' which was undoubtedly . the . finest Merino ram ever brought to NeW Zealand. enterprising local breeder headed off a couple of syndicates formed for the purpose of retaining the ; ram in Now Zealand. Under the latter scheme "Commotiofl" would have, been co-operatively owned and used in\ a number of studs. By purchasing hinv outright, Mr Goulter, who is New Zealand's oldest and most enterprising breeder, secures the sole use of "Com-

motion" for his Hawkesbury stud. Mr Arthur Lucernedale. returns to Australia immediately to select a further shipment of his Merinos for New Zealand breeders.