Daisy Plains’ Bec, Peter and Matt Bunyan were amongst the vendors.
New price records were set at the Hay annual September Sheep Sale, in front of the largest crowd of agents, buyers, vendor and spectators in recent memory.
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The national record for Merino year-and-a-half ewes and Hay sale record were set by Greg and Fred Turner, of Abbotsford, Ivanhoe.
Abbotsford took out the top price record when their lead pen of 407 April/May 2025-drop, Collinsville-blood, August-shorn ewes made $515 a head.
This toppled the previous Hay top price of $512, set in September 2021.
The rest of the Abbotsford draft, offered from a total consignment of around 2000 head, sold on to $405 and $362.
Two other vendors joined the $500-plus bracket: Nick McKindlay's Mooloomoon (Moulamein) line at $502, and the Morphett family Alma operation (Booligal) also at $502, with Alma's second and third cuts making $450 and $354.
Andrew Low of Elders in action during the sale.
The average price paid was $375 per head
Alma’s Peter Morphett said Hay often attracted a large crowd - especially when the weather was good - because of its reputation as a premium sale.
Nutrien agent Geoff McDougall refuted reports by some media outlets that the sale was “subdued”.
“The sale was competitive, and I think everyone would be happy,” Mr McDougall said, adding that the quality, atmosphere and prices were on par with the successful 2021 sale at Hay.
“The quality was there, and the buyers were keen to bid.
“The top price was made early, in the first lane.
“The second lane made around $400 but into the third lane the bids were still very good.”
Beyond the results over $500, bidding was spirited, with auctioneers working hard to entice the crowd; one encouraging buyers to “buy the best and breed them better”.
Generally, better-grown ewes sold in the $420-$480 range, while plainer, smaller ewes sold at $350-$400.
Nutrien livestock team members Geoff McCallum and Peter Fisk.
Buying agents from Forbes, Euroa, Narrandera, Wagga Wagga and Swan Hill travelled to attend the sale.
Other results from the day included Yamba (Booligal) to $496; Daisy Plains (Booligal) to $488; Moolpa (Moulamein) to $498 and Benilkie (Balranald) to $444.
Top results of the 2025-drop Merino ewes were as follows:
Smaller lines (310-600 head each) from Burtundy Station, Tchelery, Moolamoon, Albemarle, Minarto (Oxley), Nullagong, Kitcho, Benilkie, Formosa, Tarwong, Walgrove, Groongal and Mayfield ranged from $360 up.
The youngest of the 2024 and older Merino ewes bracket, Albemarle (2024 drop, Hay), topped at $354 while Bronte (Mossgiel) sold two lines - 300 head of 2023-drop at $350, and 800 head of 2022-drop at $340/$280.
Older drops (2021–22) traded lower:
Yamba's 1360 head 2021-drop line made $312/$274/$282, Gunbar Farm's 2022-drop line made $300/$245 and Daisy Plains' 2021-drop line made $298.
Crutched (rather than shorn) 2021-drop Minarto line made $334, slightly ahead of comparable-age uncrutched lines
Just one line of ewe lambs was offered - 450 head of unshorn 2026-drop Minarto lambs - and made $238/$172.
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