Steve & Carol Huggins’ Merino sheep are true to type – their type
Writes James Wagstaff
When it comes to breeding Merino sheep, Steve & Carol Huggins don’t adhere to mob mentality.
On the vast, sun-drenched plains of the NSW western Riverina, a region steeped in Merino history, the principals of Woodpark poll stud are well aware that tradition doesn’t necessarily pay the bills.
So, through a scientific, no-non-sense approach, they are paving the way forward with their own “type” of sheep.
And the result speak for themselves; in recent years they have maintained lambing rates at an impressive 120 per cent, lifted wool cuts to more than 8kg and, since 2012, have increased the number of rams they sell by more than 60 per cent.

SET THE SCENE
WOODPARK Poll was founded in the mid-1980s by Steve’s uncles and aunt, Doug, Owen and Helen Huggins, at Jerilderie.
With no client base to be guided by, or pressure to breed a certain type, the Huggins were able to set up their own type of animal.
“At the time there wasn’t the depth of poll sheep in the industry,” Steve said. “You couldn’t go out, like you can now, and say ‘well I’m looking for this’ and go and select it. They really thought that to get anywhere we’ll need to do it ourselves”.
Last year, the 2015-drop flock averaged 8.2kg of 18.2-micron wool while the entire drop of ewes – from two year olds to seven year olds – had a micron range from 17.7 to 18.7 micron. This year, 400 bales of wool were produced at shearing, with bigger wool cuts meaning it was up from 360-370 previously.

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Merino ewes to $252 at Jerilderie

By Stephen Burns, The Land

Stephen & Lily Huggins, “Eurolie”, Hay, with their 407 April/May ’16 drop, August-shorn, Woodpark Poll-blood and Eurolie-bred ewes which sold for $226.

Restockers were out in force during the 15^th annual John Wells Memorial store sheep sale at Jerilderie.

Top price at $252 was paid to Hugh and Heather Cameron, “The Yanko”, Jerilderie, for their pen of 434 May/June 2016 drop ewes, September-shorn and The Yanko-blood when bought by producers from Bendigo, Vic.

Vendor Ross Wells, Willandra Merinos, said “It is one of the strongest sales I have seen for a long time”.

“There was consistent demand all the way through for the quality offering.”

Other excellent prices included $240 for 351 June/July 2016 drop, August shorn and Woodpark Poll-blood sold on account Donald and Ann Bull, “Irroy”, Deniliquin and $230 for 428 April/May 2016 drop August-shorn and Willandra-blood sold on account Sleigh Pastoral Co, “Kooringal”, Jerilderie.

Stephen and Carol Huggins, “Eurolie”, Hay sold 407 April/May 2016 drop, August-shorn and Woodpark Poll-blood for $226 while Ross Wells, “Willandra”, Jerilderie sold 252 May/June 2016 drop, August-shorn ewes for $220.

Buyers attended from central and southern Victorian districts, Wagga Wagga, Lockhart, Forbes, Narrandera, Lake Cargelligo, Hay, Deniliquin and Finley.

The sale was conducted by Elders, Jerilderie.

The Weekly Times

Young Merino ewes sold to $252 at Jerilderie in southern NSW last week as restocker demand continued to push the best sheep above $200.

Nearly a dozen vendors with sheep in the 13,500 yarding received prices above $200 for 2016 ewes, with all but one pen being recently shorn.

Selling agent Trevor Basset, Elders Jerilderie, said prices had trended in a similar pattern to the recent feature sale at Hay, which is viewed as the industry benchmark for Merinos in the Riverina.

“All the ewes made their value on the day, and buyers did seem happy to pay around the $200 mark for young ewes if the quality was right,” he said.

Top price of $252 went to the Cameron family for their The Yanko-bred Merino ewes, which were May-June 2016 drop and September shorn.

The next best price being $240 for the lead draft of the Irroy ewes, which were August shorn and Woodpark blood.

Overall, 12 pens of ewes sold above $200, with most sales between $200 and $220.

Mr Basset said there was solid demand stretching from Bendigo in the south to Wagga Wagga, NSW.

He believed there was a shift back to mixed farming because of the consistency of wool and lamb returns.

“Grain is not great and people are putting some paddocks back to pasture as they can see if they had stuck with some sheep the returns would have been there,” he said.

The other factor buyers are starting to realise, Mr Basset said, is that a lot of sheep have already been sold out of NSW due to the dry conditions.

“We started selling a month earlier this year and a lot of sheep have already gone.”

There were reports this week that agents at Hay have cancelled their usual October sale due to a lack of numbers.

Once off the lead runs at Jerilderie last week, the second tier of young Merino ewes generally sold from $180 to $195, with the plainest and smallest 2016 drops down to about $160.

Older ewes also sold strongly, with the standout sale being $160 for Willandra’s five-year-old breeders.

• Jenny Kelly

The Land

Restockers keen on replenishing their Merino ewe reserves were also looking at the prolonged dry weather and possibly baulked slightly at paying premiums during the Condobolin Sheep Breeders’ Association’s spring sheep sale last Thursday.

Moncrieff Livestock and Property agent Greg Moncrieff, said the market was much tougher than the previous week at West Wyalong, but reflected the drier weather conditions.

“It’s a reflection of the continuing dryer conditions being experienced together with a falling mutton market which has graziers quite concerned in which way they should turn,” he said.

Another local agent, Blue Reardon of JN Straney and Son, agreed and said he saw the lack of competition due to the dry seasons.

Top pen selling at $214 a head were a line of 193 Merino ewes July/August 2016 drop of Woodpark blood and July shorn bred and offered by Ian and Jane Menzies, “Moonbah”, Condobolin, going to a Tullibigeal restocker.

Ian Menzies, “Moonbah”, Condobolin, with his 193 July/August 2016 Merino ewes July shorn and of Woodpark blood which topped at $214 going to a Tullibigeal restocker.

Best presented pen came from Harold and Phillip Crouch and family’s Karu Pastoral Company, with a pen of 190 Merino ewes of Milby blood, May 2016 drop and July shorn later selling at $210 to a Lake Cargelligo restocker.

Phillip Harding, “Brooklyn”, Condobolin, gained $190 a head for his draft of 481 Merino ewes, July/August 2016 drop, April shorn of Ballatherie blood selling to a repeat buyer from the Forbes and Baldry districts.

Rob and Bellinda Neal, “Lockerbie”, Condobolin, sold 216 Merino ewes of Darriwell blood, May/June 2016 drop, July shorn, for $172 each to the Forbes district while the Brangwin family, “Evergreen”, Condobolin, received $160 a head for their 165 Merino ewes April/May 2016 drop Haddon Rig blood and July shorn from a Griffith district buyer.

Ridgelands Pastoral Company, Condobolin, sold 200 Merino wether lambs June/July 2017 at $70 each.

• Mark Griggs

135 rams sold for average $2437

By Stephen Burns, The Land

Long-term clients of Woodpark Polls, Donald and Ann Bull, Deniliquin with their $8000 purchase paraded by Stephen and Lily Huggins. “He has good soft and crimpy wool on a bold a well structured body”

With continuing confidence in Poll Merinos, bidding was determined at the Woodpark Poll ram auction at Jerilderie on account Stephen and Carol Huggins when 140 rams were penned to see 135 sold at auction to average $2437.

Top price of $8,000 was paid for a sheded ram, when 30 were sold for $3408, while $5,000 was top price paid for unsheded ram when 105 sold for average price $2160.

A further seven flock rams were sold after the auction for $1500 average.

Indicative of the strong interest in Poll Merino sheep, the sale was underpinned by many returning clients with new buyers also making their presence felt.

The top priced ram at $8,000, a AI son of the highly successful stud sire WP12-342, was bought by long term clients Donald and Ann Bull, “Mungarra”, Deniliquin.

“He has good soft and crimpy wool on a bold and well structured body,” Mr Bull sad.

Mr Bull and his family have been buying Woodpark-bred rams from the time his father purchased sheep from Stephen Huggins’ grandfather, the late Eric Huggins.

“He will be joined to our stud ewes for replacement rams in our self-replacing Merino flock.”

The fleece of the ram measured 18.8 microns, with 3.1 SD and he was in the top 10 percent on Merino Select for Dual Purpose Index.

Mr Bull was assisted in his purchase by Clyde McKenzie, Elders Deniliquin manager who advises Mr Bull on his ewe classing.

“He is a very well balanced sheep with bright, waxy and crimpy wool,” Mr McKenzie said.

Also coming out of the sheded draft was the $5,000 ram purchased by Wagga Wagga-based sheep breeding consultant Craig Wilson for the Glasson family, Jimenbuen Past Co, Dalgety.

Sarah Houston (sister of Jack Glasson, Jimenbuen Pastoral Co, buyer of this ram) and Tom and Craig Wilson, Wagga Wagga with the $5000 purchase.

Sired by WP 14-204 who had been joined to hand-picked elite ewes, will also be used in the ram breeding project for the self-replacing flock on “Jimenbuen”.

“We are aiming for high performance using high index rams through AI, and this ram will be utilized as a back-up,” Mr Wilson said.

“He was a trait leader for yearling clean fleece weight and has a good balance of the other figures like yearling weight, eye muscle and is moderate for fat.

“We can use him with confidence because he is also structurally sound and backed by the genetic depth at Woodpark.”

Mr Wilson also bought two further rams at $3,000 and $2,500 for the Jimenbuen Pastoral Co.

Coming south for their first foray into the Woodpark Poll offering, Dougal McLeish and his wife Susan Ainge, Thurn Merinos, Coonamble, purchased the top priced ram at $5,000 in the unsheded offering, along with one sheded ram for $4,250.

Dougal McLeish, Stephen Huggins, Susan Ainge and Lily Huggins with their $5000 purchase made by Dougal and Susan for their Coonamble-district property.

The McLeish family have been breeding Merino sheep for over 80 years at “Thurn”, and have changed to Poll Merinos three years ago for ease of management but still retaining the essential attributes of heavy cutting fleeces on a sound body.

“We like the fact Woodpark have been breeding Poll for a long time,” Susan Ainge said when speaking on behalf of her husband.

“They are true to type, with nice well-defined crimp and bright wool.

“We love the fibre … and the market is now paying for it … thank goodness!”

The ram, with micron 16.6 and 2.8 SD will be used in Thurn Merinos’ self-replacing Merino flock to bred new sires.

Also paying $5,000 were D.J. Boland and J.L. Peavey, Giffard, Victoria who selected the son of WP14-102.

Significant prices included $4,500 paid by Grassy Creek Merinos for a ram with micron measurement 17.6 and in the top ten percent for Merino Select Dual Purpose Index: and $4,250 paid by Coghill Farming, “Dewhurst”, Urana for a young sire who was also in the top ten percent Merino Select for Dual Purpose Index.

Volume buyers included Budgewah Pastoral Co, Hay who bought 16 rams to top $3,500, J.C. and L.M. Clark, “Merriola”, who paid to $3,000, twice in their selection of nine rams and MV Ag, Alectown who paid to $4,500 in their draft of eight rams.

Stephen Huggins thought the prices paid reflected the genetic and structural depth of the sheep, but also the present values paid for sheep and wool. “It was a great sale and it is wonderful to see everyone rewarded for years of hard work,” he said.

The sale was conducted by Elders, Jerilderie and Landmark, Finley, with Ron Rutledge, Peter Godbolt and Nick Gray taking the bids.

Stock and Land reported: “Huggins family wins best pen of rams” – March 9, 2017.

“Woodpark Poll stud, Eurolie, Hay, has won the best pen of three rams competition at Loddon Valley field day every second year since 2011 – and 2017 was no exception.

“All three rams’ pedigrees go back to Woodpark Poll 10 0015, which Carol Huggins said had a huge impact on the stud. Two (of the winning Pen of three) rams were sired by Woodpark Poll 12 0241 and one was sired by Woodpark Poll 12 0342.

“The three Poll Merino hoggets impressed the judges for their quality wool (lustrous, soft handling, with great lock density) and huge carcase attributes”.

“Mrs Huggins said they strove to breed sheep that combined those traits so could take advantage of both the wool market, now at record highs, and the growing global demand for protein.”

“Paul Hendy, Belbourie and John Barty, Beverley, were the judges and put Terrick West’s entry in second and Kedleston Park’s in third.”

The Woodpark and Woodpark Poll blood flocks had a great run of sales in the Spring Merino Breeders’ sales, topping at the renowned Hay, Jerilderie and Wycheproof sales last year.

Stock and Land’s store market analyst Murray Arnel said the Huggins fam­ily’s top priced offering at Jerilderie had “capped off a special month of sales for the Woodpark Poll stud as it collected a major double”.

At Hay, the Butcher family’s Bronte, Mossgiel, bred Woodpark Poll blood 1.5 year old ewes made the sale top price of $274 in what Mr Arnel called a “sizzling” sale.

In October, Mr Arnel wrote in the Stock and Land that the Jerilderie sale had backed up the Hay results:

“In a sale lasting only one hour, young ewes made to a high of $263 a head in a highly competitive and evenly priced Merino breeders’ sheep sale at Jerilderie. Competing for the John Wells Memorial Shield (for highest priced pen of sheep in the yard) the Huggins family, Eurolie, secured sale honours for the highest priced yard of 1.5 year-olds with their Woodpark Poll blood 15-drop ewes sold at $263/head.

“For Stephen and Carol Huggins it was their first win of the prestigious John Wells Shield which has been highly prized among the district’s prominent sheep breeding community.

“Stephen Huggins said they were fortunate that in such a wet year their property Eurolie, south-east of Hay, had not had the rain as most others.

Although it was wet enough, their slightly drier weather allowed their Woodpark Poll ewe hoggets to grow and bloom on the improved season. In other Jerilderie sale results, Donald and Ann Bull’s Woodpark Poll blood, Irroy bred ewes from Conargo, ewes sold at $258/head.

The Studleigh, Deniliquin, bred 1.5yo ewes made $250/hd. The Sleeman family’s, “Riversdale”, Woodpark Poll blood ewes made the second top price for older ewes of $158.”

And at Wycheproof it was another healthy day out for Merino breed­ers when the highly regarded Fernihurst Estate bred 1.5yo, longstanding Woodpark Merino blood ewes topped the offering at $224/head.

Image: courtesy The Weekly Times. Keeping track: David Butcher, Bronte at Mossgiel, NSW records prices at Hay. His family’s young ewes had topped the sale at $274. Picture: Jenny Kelly

David and Barbara Butcher’s careful management paid off when their 900 May/June 2015 drop Woodpark Poll blood ewes topped at $274/head at the Hay September sheep sale. The Butcher’s “Bronte”, Mossgiel bred ewes were joined in the price stakes when the operation’s four year old ewes topping the older ewe portion of the 30,000 head yarding, at $183/head.

“The top price of $274 was achieved a few pens on for David Butcher’s 412 young ewes from the family’s Mossgiel property, Bronte. The ewes were May-June 2015-drop, Woodpark Poll blood, and had been shorn in August. They displayed some of the best bloom and condition of the yarding.”

“There was a trend of buyers dropping back on to some of the prove breeders to save money and also access better lambing percentage. It resulted in the four-year-old Bronte Merino ewes making up to $183/head.” – Jenny Kelly, The Weekly Times, 28/09/2016.

“The most successful vendor of the day was David and Barbara Butcher, “Bronte”, Mossgiel, who achieved the highest price of $274 for the tops of their 900 May/June 2015 drop, Woodpark Poll-blood, August shorn, ewes.”

Merino ewes to $274 at Hay

By Stephen Burns, The Land, Thursday September 29, 2016

Image: courtesy The Land. Barbara and David Butcher, “Bronte”, Mossgiel, with their $274 a head young ewes sold at the Hay sheep sale last week. Photo by Murray Arnel.

About 30,000 sheep were yarded on a perfect Riverina spring day for the Hay Annual September Sheep Sale last Friday.

Elders Hay branch manager Bill Haygarth said supply was back a bit due to wet conditions restricted stock movement, but interest in station-bred Merino ewes continues to be strong.

“Sheep presentation throughout the entire yarding was exceptional with the current season highlighting the superior genetics of the Riverina,” Mr Haygarth said.

“Restockers attended from Bendigo, Deniliquin, Swan Hill, Griffith, Ballarat, Echuca, Narrandera, Yarrawonga, Corowa, Forbes, Kerang and Hay, with processors purchasing very few lots.”

Prices for the autumn/winter drop Merino ewes ranged from a top of $274 to $158, with 2014 drop ewes selling $175 to $161, 2013 drop ewes sold to $180, 2012 drop ewes $156 to $182 and 2011 drop ewes sold from $183 to $130.

About 5000 Merino wether weaners were yarded and sold from $91 to $112.

The most successful vendor of the day was David and Barbara Butcher, “Bronte”, Mossgiel, who achieved the highest price of $274 for the tops of their 900 May/June 2015 drop, Woodpark Poll-blood, August shorn, ewes.

Other successful vendors included Yarto Pastoral Company, “Yarto”, Booligal, who sold the top line of their offering of 1000 March/April 2015 drop ewes, Alma-blood and August shorn for $262, with the second pen selling for $216, and GM and HM Morphett, “Yamba”, Booligal, received $226 for their offering of 500 April/May 2015 drop, Alma blood and August-shorn ewes.

The McKindlay family, “Mooloomoon”, Moulamein, yarded 1200 June/July 2015 ewes, Goolgumbla-blood and August-shorn, selling them for $265, while Caroonboon Pty Ltd, “Caroonboon”, Boorooban, sold 300 June/July 2015 drop Caroonboon-blood ewes, April shorn for $272.

Among good sales in older ewes, the McKindlay family, “Mooloomoon”, Moulamein, received $181 for their draft of 1000n June/July 2011 drop, March-shorn Goolgumbla-blood ewes, and PM and GM Lawrence, “Formosa”, Hay, sold the tops of their 1600 May/June 2011 drop, Charinga-blood and August-shorn for $147, with the second line selling for $131.

Wether weaners attracted keen competition, with A and R Hiscock, “Waiko”, Ivanhoe, receiving $112 for the tops of their draft of unshorn 1500 May/June 2016 drop, Alma-blood and $105 for the second line, while Brett Schiller, “Tarwong”, Hay, sold the tops of his unshorn 1200 May/June 2016 drop, Bluebush-blood wethers for $105.

Hay Associated Agents, Elders and Landmark conducted the sale.

Murray Arnel, October 14 2016, www.stockandland.com.au

Merino young ewes, Woodpark-blood, made to a solid $224 a head at the Rodwells/Landmark spring store sheep sale held at Wycheproof on Thursday.

Being the third sale in the spring series for the Wimmera/Mallee saleyards, the market toppers were a line of 398 offered by JH Evans & Sons, Fernihurst Estate that were sold to Corcoran Parker, Corowa for the Everitt family of Brocklesby, NSW.

Other sales for smaller framed Merino young ewes made $150-$175 while two year-old ewes, Lewisdale-blood, made $180, and Panarama-blood four year-olds, $164.

Other yards of 4-5 year-old Merino ewes made $140-$162 while a small selection of crossbred young ewes made $225-$245, and five year-olds $146-$160.

Image: courtesy Stock & Land.

JH Evans & Sons partners Dallas and Barry Evans, with their Fernihurst Estate Woodpark-blood young ewes sold at $224 a head.