Ridgway Poll Merinos – Ric, Gail & Matthew Ridgway

Welcome

RIDGWAY - THE RIGHT WAYNewsletter

Number 11July 2013

Welcome to our 2013 newsletter. While we are far from Utopia, the season is now looking good after such an extended dry period since last winter. Obviously we could do with more rain now, especially after some significant frosts, but all in all, the seasonal outlook is good. We trust it is treating you equally as well.

We are exceptionally pleased with the feedback we are receiving from both our South Australian and interstate clients. That success is a great endorsement for the breeding program we put in place many years ago and gives us full confidence in planning our future progress.

2013 Calendar of Events▶ Friday 19th - Sunday 21st July ◀

Bendigo - Australian Sheep and Wool Show (display only)▶ Tuesday 23rd July ◀

Keith - South East Merino Field Day (display)▶ Friday 26th July ◀

Karoonda - Karoonda & Districts Merino Field Day (display)▶ Monday 5th & Tuesday 6th August ◀

Hamilton, Victoria - Hamilton Sheepvention (display & offering 10 rams)▶ Monday 12th August - Inspection from 10.30am - Auction at 1pm ◀

Kulkami - Ridgway On-property Ram Sale (offering 170 rams) ▶ Monday 9th September ◀

Murray Bridge - Classings Classic (offering 10 to 12 rams)▶ Friday 13th September ◀

Adelaide Royal Show Merino Ram Sale (offering 5 rams)

Poll Merinos

RIDGWAY - THE RIGHT WAYFeedback on Ridgway 1137Last year we made mention of R1137 which topped our 2010 Classings Classic offering at $25,000, to the Wallaloo Park and Yarrawonga studs in partnership. Many other studs also used him through semen purchases, plus we used him in our own flock. We were very pleased with his results in our own

stud and in last year’s on-property sale he had 25 sons sell to the equal top price of $3,600; three going to stud breeders.

Ridgway 1137 when sold at Classings Classic in 2010 for $25,000, with Bill Walker, Classings Ltd, John & Jenny Carter and Gail & Ric.

It was very pleasing to receive the following

endorsement from Bill Walker in this year’s Classings Cullings Newsletter. Bill purchased one son; Ridgway 354 for the Prime family’s Nantoura stud, Wharminda, for the equal on-property sale top of $3,600 (see sale report)

Ridgway 1137You may have noticed that a fair portion of top end sale rams throughout the sale calendar were sired by R1137 who was sold at the Classic ‘10 sale for $25,000 to Wallaloo Park, Yarrawonga and a list of semen shares.

The more sale reports I completed where the sire was used including the source, Ridgway, the more I was tempted to recall any early info that Ric and Gail Ridgway had on him. I had forgotten (52 now you know!) that I had given him two testimonials, one for the Ridgway website and the other their annual newsletter.

Website Testimonial... “We recommend that you keep an eye out for a standout skin/fibre/frame ram in tag number 1137.”

Newsletter Testimonial in part... “R-1137, another gem from the 571 stable, full of personality, exhibits all the facets to warrant a top sire. Four upright pasterns on each corner of a long bodied carcass which extends all the way to the top knot via great neck extension and a muzzle which is as pristine white as the fibre he exudes can only add to this bloke’s attraction...”

“R-1137, ticks all the boxes in that he is impressing a league of breeders ranging from the traditionalists eager to confront current skin issues that plague the industry to the progressive mulesing-addressing breeder..”

“ .....loaded with quality fibre (this ain’t wool!!) with a huge inquisitive personality makes R-1137 an easy inclusion as a future sire in this year’s Cullings’10 Newsletter. His selection as a leader in this Classic’10 sale indicates his stature only as, top end. Feast on this!”

It’s a relief now to witness his first year’s results as so pleasing after such accolades!

Ridgway 1137 on the ASBV front is pretty well in the middle of the road as far as sires go with good performance nationally for YCFW & YSL and no disgrace in YWT either. YFAT & YEMD are on the negative so future generations could improve this figure.

All this said R1137 easily joins my SuperSire list as a ram that throws little waste with both ewe and ram hogget progeny and capable of throwing top end stock to maintain high tensile quality.

Data collection and managementOur objectives in breeding are fairly simple. We are trying to breed highly productive, profitable and easy care Poll Merinos that match the current and future market trends. If we are achieving that, our profit will increase through improved production, lower costs and increased demand for our rams. More importantly it will have the same flow-on effects in the flocks of clients who use our rams.

Obviously experience and accumulated breeding knowledge help us achieve this, but the availability of objective information is en-hancing our success in selecting the best sheep to breed from, plus giving greater surety in the breeding values of our sale rams for you, our valued clients. We are now two years down the track in the use of ASBVs (Australian Sheep Breeding Values). Accuracies increase with the amount of accumulated data that we are able to put in the Merino Select recording system, which happens over time with each new generation’s information.

We are also looking for ways to reduce our labour input time and costs. Lamb mothering has traditionally been a very time consuming undertaking. Thus we have made an investment in the last year in electronic tags and the CRC Pedigree Matchmaker system.

RIDGWAY 1137 10.5.13 SIRE 571 ASBVs

TAG YWT YFAT YEMD YCFW YFD YSL YWEC MP+

1137 4.1 -0.6 -0.9 17.6 -1.0 9.7 -14 144

AVG 2.70 0.0 0.3 7.9 -1.0 4.1 -3 133

RIDGWAY SA CLASSIC 2010 MN3 8 pts

LOT TAG SIRE DROP SHORN MIC CV% SD %>30U

81 1137 R571 1.5.09 28.2.10 20.3 15.3 3.1 0.3

Poll Merinos

RIDGWAY - THE RIGHT WAY

2013 Ram Sale OfferingsOur annual sale offering on Monday 12th August will have plenty of selection options for prospective buyers. We will offer 170 rams, a line-up brimming with quality right through. The depth of quality we’ve been able to put into our annual sale offer-ings in recent years is the most satisfying aspect. Originally we felt our tops were very good, but we still had room for im-provement in the bottom end of the catalogue. However, with the objective of also having good value for clients, it has been very pleasing to see the quality volume buyers have been able to pick up in the later lots and average out their buying. This year should be no exception.

The sale teams will be selected from 280 rams. The average wool test figures for the entire group are: Microns 18.3, SD 2.9, CV 15.9, CF 99.7.

2012 drop rams from which sale

selections will come.

Besides the auction rams, there is a very good selection of private sale rams. We invite your

inspection at any of the events we will be attending in 2013, or inspection on-property can be arranged by appointment.

We further remind you that we offer a back-up client classing service for clients, should any of you require such assistance.

Ewes For SaleAgain, as per our last three newsletters, we give you notice of surplus ewes we have for sale by private selection. In the past these have been snapped up very quickly, so with the bonus of the better season so far, if you have any interest in purchasing any, we suggest you get in early. We have 280 aged 1.5 years, 180 aged 4.5 years and 150 aged 5.5 years. We welcome your enquiry.

2012 Sales ReportIn 2012 we cleared 173 rams at auction which is up 60 from just a decade ago. This included the Adelaide Royal (2 rams), Classings Classic (15 rams), Hamilton Sheepvention (10 rams). Following is a précis of our annual on-property auction that appeared in the press at the time.

Excellent consolidating Ridgway resultThe advancement in depth of high quality modern Merinos at Ridgway has been evident for all to see in recent years and was a significant reason for the largest ever crowd attending Ric, Gail, Matt and Rachel Ridgway’s annual ram sale at Kulkami, Via Lameroo.

There were 53 registered bidders amongst the large crowd with successful bidders coming from three states. The strong competition resulted in 119 rams clearing in the main auction to a $3600 top, which was achieved twice and at a $1495 average.

The largest ever crowd to attend the Ridgway on-property sale, with buyers from three states is welcomed by stud principal, Ric Ridgway.

As the ewes walk through with lambs at foot over a period of time, their tag numbers are recorded by the panel readers. This data is then sent away to an accredited data analyser who puts it through a program designed to analyse the data; identifying lambs that are walking through with particular ewes from at

least five records of the same pairings. Most pairings will be matched many more times than this minimum number, greatly increasing accuracies. With the computer technology and the electronic tags, we will save a lot of labour time in the paddock and office.

This system consists of two electronic panels that read the electronic tags of ewes and their lambs as they pass through the panels. These are set up side by side in a paddock or gateway where the ewes regularly travel, eg to a feed or water point (as shown below).

Poll Merinos

Ridgway Merino & Poll Merino StudsContact Details: Ric, Gail & Matt Ridgway, Lameroo, SA

Phone/Fax: (08) 8578 8039 Mobile: 0433 518 568 Email: merinos@ridgwaymerinos.com.auwww.ridgwaymerinos.com.au.

High quality mini auction rams were also available and a further 19 of these sold to a $1000 top, resulting in total sales of 138 rams at an average of $1366 on the day.

In welcoming buyers, Ric Ridgway said he was very happy with the type they were now producing and was conscious of not going too far down different roads. ”Our rams are deeper with heavier bone and bodyweights; they have sound structure and we have taken what we like from the SRS system, with good skins but keeping better fibre density and wool cuts,” he said.

Although very even in type and quality, buyers still found their select rams at the top end. Ian Daniel, Senior Park, Bordertown chased quality in purchasing two at $2800 and $3500, the latter equalling last year’s top price.

Victorian bidders were also very strong at the top end, with GG, GM and TG Philip, Maroona purchasing four, also to $3500. S & Y Brady, Rhymney were back for the third year in a row and went to $3200, also purchasing four rams, while the first Victorians to attend this sale five years ago, SW Allen, Goroke were prominent, taking six to $1700 and at a $1233 average. Dale West, manager for Kilcoolin Pastoral Co, Euroa attended for the first time and picked up three rams to $2500. Six Victorians were successful in buying a total of 25 rams.

However it was SA buyers who went further than last year and twice paid this year’s sale top of $3600.

Brian Martin and Wayne Sheriff, McLaren Vale combined forces to purchase Ridgway 579, a son of Wallaloo Park 115 with outstand-

ing wool fig-ures on a very good frame. With a micron measurement of 16.4, SD of 2.1, CV of 12.8 and a 100% com-fort factor, he attracted a lot of interest.

Pictured with the two $3600 top priced rams at the Ridgway sale are Landmark auctioneers Malcolm Scroop (left) and Gordon Wood (right); buyers of the ram on the left, Wayne Sherriff and Brian Martin, both from McLaren Vale; Classings Ltd’s Bill Walker who bought the ram on the right for Nantoura stud, Wharminda, and Ridgway’s Matt Ridgway.

Bill Walker, Classings Ltd, Murray Bridge bought eight rams for four clients during the sale. These included the other sale top-per Ridgway 354, a son of R1137. This impressive ram was originally scheduled for this year’s Adelaide Royal ram sale, but was catalogued here instead. Bill Walker bought him for Chris and Andrew Prime, Nantoura stud, Wharminda. Of the other seven rams he bought, four went to Rob Chalk at Coonalpyn, from $800 to $1900.

Gary and Joseph Murdoch, North Cowie, Warooka paid to $2900 for two rams, including another impressive R1137 son for their stud; a figure equalled by Glen Hampel, GMRJ Nominees, Loxton (two rams) and Steven Paech, Callington (three rams).

Kangaroo Island sheep producers have provided strong buying support for the Ridgway sale for many years, this being no exception. Brett Gregor, Gregor Nominees, Parndana bid on a large number of the higher priced lots before being successful in purchasing ten rams to $2000 and at an $1180 average. Jeff and Andrea Buick, Penneshaw have purchased top rams for many years, this year selecting two to $2400.

The biggest volume buyer overall was local Lynton Barrett, Lameroo who purchased 11 rams, paying to $1600 and averaging $1218 in astute and consistent buying.

NSW provided three successful bidders, these be-ing JC, RE & CJ Hicks, Deniliquin (four to $1800), NT & NJ Mud-ford, Gilgandra (three to $2200)

and Blue Chip Livestock, Young (three to $1000).

Other prominent buyers included Tim Freak, Booderoo Part-ners, Coomandook (five to $1300), JK Pfitzner, Wambi (five to $1000), ND & CM Smith, Alawoona (six to $600), Heathdale P/L, Naracoorte (four to $2600) and NL & MA Wormwald, Loxton (four to $1700).

Ridgway principal Ric Ridgway (right) holds Ridgway 237, the impressive R1137 son purchased by North Cowie stud, Warooka and represented here by Joseph Murdoch.

Victorian buyers provided very strong buying support at the Ridgway sale with six accounts purchasing 25 rams. Included

were Tim Philip, Maroona (4 rams), Simon Brady, Rhymney (4 rams), Kelvin Shelley, AWN agent for Tim and Simon, Highton, and Steve Allen, Goroke (6 rams).

Volume buyers (below) at the Ridgway sale included Neil Wormwald, Loxton (four rams), Lynton Barrett, Lameroo (11 rams), Tim Freak, Coomandook (five rams) and Brett Gregor, Parndana (right, 10 rams). They are with vendors Gail and Matt Ridgway.