The transaction was part of the National Dorper and White Dorper Show and Sale, held at Dubbo on September 4 and the record-breaking ram piqued the interest of many buyers, according to Dell African Dumisa Dorpers and White Dorpers stud manager Andrea Vagg.
“There was a lot of people chasing the ram, including a syndicate, mostly because of his length and depth and he was a very correct sire,” Mrs Vagg said.
“We'd used him in the stud, so that's helped a lot.”
Queensland's Lance Reid and Grant Bredhauer purchased the record-setting ram, which had a successful female lineage.
“The ram's mother was the National Supreme Ewe in 2015, 2016 and 2017 at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show,” Mrs Vagg said.
The record ram is not the first time this Moama stud, owned by Jean and Moozie van Niekerk, has topped the National Dorper and White Dorper Show and Sale auction, but it did not stop it from being a surprise.
“We've been going there since 2008,” Mrs Vagg said.
“We topped last year's sale with a $20,000 ram and the year before with a $10,000.
“We didn't expect it.
“It's eventually sunk, it took a while to sink in.
“It felt like a dream.”
The previous world record was 600,000 rand, which equates to $48,896.51 on the current exchange rate.
The Dell African Dumisa Dorpers and White Dorpers stud also took out the Grand Champion Dorper and White Dorper Ewe titles at the Dubbo show, with the White Dorper ewe taking out the Supreme Champion of All Champions title.