Last hurrah: Helen Morgan with her last top-priced ram, Lot 2 which sold to Yentrac for $4000. Behind the ram (from left) is stock agent Shelby Howard, and Yentrac’s Katie Shapcott and Rob McCartney
All good things must come to an end, and on October 22 respected White Suffolk breeder Helen Morgan sat back and watched her final ram sale.
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Immediately after, the 80-year-old rushed up to the house to bid on a few ewes online.
“I do feel sad,” Ms Morgan said.
“When you can bring them up to look like this, you’re sad to see them go and know you’ll never see the sight again.”
The final on-farm sale for Millswyn White Suffolk Stud at Katandra averaged $1590 — a new record — and maxed-out at $4000 for Lot 2.
Ms Morgan said she had leased half her farm to a neighbour and pulled her ewe herd back to 43.
“I want to breed less than 100 lambs a year now,” she said.
“At one stage I was running 200 ewes and breeding over 100 rams.”
She’s had inquiries from people who still want flock rams going forward, but Ms Morgan is unsure about staying in the ram game.
Dedicated: Auctioneer Shelby Howard makes the trip every year to run Helen Morgan’s sales.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Yentrac’s Rob McCartney and daughter Katie Shapcott attended the final sale as a show of support.
“We’ve known Helen a long time,” Mr McCartney said.
“We’re here to have a bit of a look and support the day.”
In the end, Yentrac forked out the most and took home the top-priced ram.
Fred Muller and Ross Riddell from Nagambie didn’t know Ms Morgan personally but were great admirers of her sheep.
“I was a second-best bidder last year, so I’ve never bought one of Helen’s rams before,” Mr Muller said.
“I’m planning to pick two up here today, but if the price isn’t right I’m just looking.”
The pair knows Helen through a fellow Nagambie farmer who’s an avid purchaser of Millswyn rams.
Hoping to buy: Fred Muller and Ross Riddell from Avenel.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Graydon Johnston from Avenel said he had always had good experiences with Millswyn rams and was sad to see the stud go.
“For me, Helen’s rams have always produced very small lambs. You almost can’t pick them up to mark them on the first day,” Mr Johnston said.
“I’m a Merino farmer by trade, but I’ve started putting the lesser-quality ewes to the Suffolks. I’m very sorry to Helen go.”
Sad farewell to Millswyn rams: Graydon Johnston runs W.B. Gadd fine wool and Merino possum store in Avenel.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Cathy Walker from Nagambie was helped a lot by Ms Morgan when setting up her own small lamb operation, and felt it was only right to show up and buy a ram on the day.
“I’m a great admirer of her commitment to the breed, she walks the talk,” Ms Walker said.
“She’s given me retired stud rams and things like that. I’ve got Mr Big back on the farm, but I need some new blood to go over his daughters, so here I am.”
Happy customer: Cathy Walker with the ram she bought at auction.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Admirers and interested buyers alike helped the auction run hot through the first few lots, but 12 lots remained unsold by the end of the day and are open to interested buyers.
Auctioneer Shelby Howard said the presentation of the rams on the day was a credit to Ms Morgan.
On the job: The Charles Stewart Dove sale team from Colac. (From left) Greg Howard, Shelby Howard, Andrew Dalton, Michelle Lascelles, Raelene O’Donoghue and Richard McDonald.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
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