RECORD PRICE FOR MERINO RAM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2556, 17 March 1923, Page 4

RECORD PRICE FOR MERINO RAM.

BLENHEIM BREEDER PAYS 1,000 GUINEAS.

All records for New Zealand were broken recently when the Lucernedale merino ram, “Commotion,” brought to New Zealand by his breeder and owner, Mr Arthur Collins, of Lueernedale, Mr Bryan, South Australia, for exhibition. He is one of the best rams bred by Mr Collins and- was sired by Loyalty, who also sired the world’s recordpriced rams: Fealty, sold for 4,000 guineas, and Loyalist,sold for 4,000 guineas. Delivery of the balance of the world’s record shipment of stud stock —800 Lueernedale merinos, valued at £9,000 —was completed at Blenheim last week. A great gathering of merino breeders watched proceedings. “Commotion” made a great appeal to these experts and during the day, Mr C. E. Robertson, acting for Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. Ltd., announced that the veteran breeder, Mr Charles Goulter, of Hawkesbury, Blenheim, had persuaded Mr Collins to let him keep “Commotion” for use in his Hawkesbury stud. The price paid was 1,000 guineas. Great excitement was aroused at this announcement, and hearty cheers were given for the enterprising loviously paid for an imported ram was 450 guineas and 390 guineas for a New Zealand bred ram. Mr Goulter paid more than double this price for “Commotion,” which was undoubtedly the finest merino ram ever brought to New Zealand. The enterprising local breeder headed off a couple of syndicates formed for the purpose of retaining the ram in New Zealand. Under the latter scheme, “Commotion” would have been co-operatively owned and used in a number of studs. By purchasing him outright, Mr Goulter, who is New Zealand’s oldest and most enterprising- breeder, secures the sole use of “Commotion” for his Hawkesbury stud.

Mr Arthur Collins of Lueernedale returns to Australia immediately to select a further shipment of his merinos for New Zealand breeders.