Live bidding should open up this year’s Hamilton Sheepvention ram sale to a national audience, according to president Gordon Last.
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Mr Last said he hoped the Elite Livestock Auctions live bidding sale would lead to an even bigger and better show.
“It will be live streamed from around Australia, anyone can bid from their phone, anywhere in Australia,” he said.
“The auction continues as normal and people in Hamilton can see, on actual sale screens, who they are bidding against online.”
Mr Last said they wanted to provide more exposure to vendors looking for Merinos, who would miss the opportunity to bid at Sheepvention on August 1 – 2.
Elite developed an application that can be downloaded for both iPhone and Android devices.
The Stocklive Bidding Platform will allow people from every corner of the country to bid live and follow the auction from the palm of their hand.
Last year’s top-priced ram was sold by Robert Harding of Glendonald stud, Nhill for $21,000, to Michael Green, Boudjah Merinos, Cooma and Michael Hedger, Snowy Plains Merinos, Berridale, NSW.
There was a total sale price of $760,000.
“Vendors can have confidence we are moving with the times,” Mr Last said.
“Live bidding is big in Queensland, they’ve done a few store sales and we watched a fair few bull sales, so we have got a bit of confidence from that.”
Mr Last said all the major studs would be represented, selling 70 pens of five rams each, at the Hamilton and Western District Sheep Show.
He said 61 studs had registered to exhibit and sell sheep, with more than 840 sheep on display.
Mr Last said this year there would be 17 breeds on show, with the inclusion of the Wiltshire Horn.
He said the Corriedale was included in this year’s show, as it reflected the change in the sheep and wool industry, with many producers chasing the prime lamb market.
Marketing coordinator Paige Cross said they were excited about the new feature of this year’s event.
“You can be sitting anywhere and bidding on the rams live,” she said.
“It’s never been done here before.
“We’re hoping it will increase the reach of the Ram Sale and help with driving the price up.”
Elite Livestock Auctions manager Miles Pfitzner said the application would be a big step for Sheepvention.
“It’s forward thinking and progressive,” he said.
