Classings: In The Race and Classic Merino Ram Sale

08/08/2026

More of this please Sophie at Classic ‘26!👌🏼🏆

08/08/2026

When Rosie and I ventured to the West in 1985 as to get out and away from my father’s enormous yet enjoyable shadow for a bit, Wayne Walter and wife Chris were nearly the first to take us on board.

With those two now healthily retired into the best town in Australia, Esperance W.A. (other than the tourist heart of SA naturally) it’s flattering to now be still part of that enterprise yet with the next generation!

Mark and Liv Walter have taken over part of the empire amongst their own acquisitions and stuck to their guns in supporting this industry through hard and even tougher times to now have a flock of capitalising proportions.

A group of around 1,000 hoggets including homebreds and purchased stock could have been a challenge for the uninitiated yet there were stark divisions.

Scott Welke’s Uncle Nev sold his entire Westwood Poll based flock last year of which these two bought the ewe lambs which were part of this classing cohort. Result? 100 - 120mm all day long at a well fed eight months wool growth!!

They also bought the ‘flocks’ of my ewe weaner classing at Westwood Poll earlier in the year which again were part of this classing group. Throw in the remaining 700 of their own breeding via Westwood and Penrose Poll genetics and that sums up while I’ll be classing for that little bit longer!

Great catchup you two and great to pass on a bit of knowledge to the 2IC of the stock department, Delta, who fired the right questions all day long to suggest she was actually keen on what was going on!

TKO FARMING

08/08/2026

With all of the young ewe weaners classed back in February it was only the rams to class and catalogue for Penrose Merino Stud of Bruce Trudy PengillyThoThomas Pengilly and Courteney Pengilly this trip.

The youngsters were in good order and ready to zoom even more so as things are looking pretty good around the place in the Cascade region not that far from Esperance WA.

We classed in the new shearing shed not due to any form of moisture but because it’s well setup for this job with some seriously good lighting and better temperature than outdoors this time of year.

With Bruce and Trudy Perth bound, Courtney held the tech fort with gusto and Thomas doing the reLeahcim Wool - Farm To Yarn To Youhcim genetics still a major influence here with a little side kick fBenefield Poll Merinorino doing well add some real kick from two or three home bred sires.

Check the ASBV capture of one of the kept reserves of the day. What a great balance of numbers backing up this new incoming sire. Fibre supreme too all afernoon.

This team will look on the money in Esperance this year with my two favourite Esperance studs following on from each other in the auction this year due to screaming success in 2025 - August 1st

💥 ESPERANCE RAM SALE
ESPERANCE SHOWGROUNDS
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4th

08/08/2026

Used all of Friday 31st to get to Esperance via Perth to start classing at Leigh and
Karina West, Karleigh Farms WA the next day.

A quick glance and sift through a group of young home bred ram lambs realised outstanding results from a ram these two bought at Classic ‘24 for $8,000 from
Ridgway Merinos R230117.

That backend shot is one of the young progeny, not the sire!

As the photos suggest, great young progeny of excellent growth and skin type. Another of their own going back to Westwood Poll completed the picture to an enjoyable session of commercial ram breeding.

Young Jake learnt a lot and was a good help in sorting out these youngsters.
Appreciated the bunk and hospitality as always Wests and hope to see you at Classic ‘26. Good Virgin fares at the minute!💥 - August 1st

08/08/2026

Good mob this and welcomed sponsors and exhibitors to Classings Classic 2026.

08/08/2026

07/08/2026

07/08/2026

Innovation always on the go at Nantoura Poll Merino with the young rams catalogued for upcoming sale done so via a ‘drop box’ type situation via computer.

Tech gurus Chris Prime and Caleb Prime took the now typical (and spot on) white board styled way of doing things one step further. The ‘map’ of the sale in full screen view so that it was easy to drop the ram’s tag # straight into its lot once graded.

At days end the boys were waiting for me to say ‘best lineup ever’ and that’s the comment they received! Nourishment abounds here coupled with the boldest crimp I handle, correct density, fertility at its best and a great representation of top end ASBV traits.

Nantoura 250002 & 250875 both crimp masters and standouts at this years mighty Classic Merino Ram Sale.

Good day with this tribe - Scott Masters, Dylan Morton, Declan Smith and the obvious roost rulers! Thanks too for the airport pickup Peter Prime.👌🏼 - July 29th