Syndicate buys Suffolk ram for record price

• Published date: 07 December 2022
• Publication title: Central Rural Life

The top bid for the 18-month-old ram overshadowed the $16,500 paid for another Collie Hills Suffolk — produced by Eric Ross and his son-in-law Wade Newlands — sold at the same Christchurch venue last year

The successful syndicate is Chris, Annabelle and Elizabeth Hampton, of Waterton stud near Cave in South Canterbury, Anton and Will Gibson, of Dry Creek Suffolks near Middlemarch, and Bede McCloy, of Karendale stud near Yaldhurst. They were last year’s underbidders for the former record-holder.

Its successor, Collie Hills 81-21, is already sitting in a paddock at the Hampton family’s farm in Cave.

Chris Hampton said the partnership had been burnt once after missing out last year and was determined to buy the ram.

While the price tag seemed high, its attributes would generate a lot of value for the breeding group, he said.

‘‘We didn’t want to miss out on this one. They are both very similar rams, without seeing them together. They’ve both got their strong points and they both tick all the boxes, but I think this fella might be the better ram than last year’s one.’’

He said the ram was bred by a stud with the same principles as theirs — part of a large commercial operation with very good Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) figures.

‘‘So he’s got good computer figures, but good actual stuff as well.’’

The ram was a twin weaned at 40kg and in the autumn weighed 70kg when he was scanned with 29sqcm of eye muscle area.

Mr Hampton said the ram was a good example of the breed, structurally sound and walked well with a nice, clean shoulder, barrel and hindquarter.

The sire attracted multiple bidders with Suffolk breeders judging it second by popular vote before the sale.

Mr Hampton said the group formed a syndicate because it gave them the opportunity to buy genetics for a higher price than they could pay individually and allowed them to spread the risk.

They had different mating times: Mr McCloy planned to put the ram to his ewe flock in early March, the Hampton’s flock at the beginning of April and the Gibson’s ewes later that month.

‘‘He may end up over that period mating with a couple of hundred ewes and, hopefully, we are going to have some pretty handy lambs from him in the future. Looking though his pedigree, his father was the best ram that Eric [Ross] had, a 2019 ram that has bred on well.’’

He’s been booked into an artificial insemination...