The ram, which was sold by the Tripp/Veronese Partnership from Snowdon Station, in Canterbury, was bought by John Henricksen, from the Wairarapa, and his son Carey.
It was a reversal of last year’s Perendale sale when Mr Henricksen sold the top-priced ram for $13,500 to Snowdon. In 2022, the Henricksens bought another Snowdon ram for $15,500.
John Henricksen described his purchase as a big bold ram which was "by far" the best sheep on offer.
The Henricksen family’s stud Hautere was established in 1983 and comprised 750 stud ewes. Asked his thoughts on the sheep industry, Mr Henricksen said "you’ve just got to carry on being optimistic".
Vendor Annabel Tripp said she was very happy and very humbled with the result.
Given the current state of the sheep industry, it was great for the breed which was very well supported by its breeders who all enjoyed each other’s company, she said.
Snowdon also sold rams for $8800 and $5000 while 24 Perendale rams sold for an average of $3562.
Attending the Gore sale was an annual highlight. It was the premier Perendale sale and a great chance to catch up with others, she said.
She rated the top-priced ram, saying he was a big ram with very high fertility, a very good carcass and a beautiful fleece.
Also enjoying the sale day, which comprised the Perendale and Cheviot ram fair, followed by the Gore A&P Association’s South Island premier ram auction, was Scottish stud sheep breeder James Scott.
Mr Scott, who hails from a 445ha property about 60km north of Inverness, was on holiday with his girlfriend, having worked in Southland several years ago.
Back then, one of the biggest differences he noted between the two countries was the much larger scale of New Zealand farms.
The Scott family have been at Fearn Farm, at the base of the Easter-Ross Peninsula, for five generations.
They grow cereals and forage crops alongside commercial and pedigree sheep and cattle.
There has been a strong connection with New Zealand over the years, including employing more than 50 Kiwis on a seasonal basis, and they also have New Zealand genetics in their sheep flock.
Fearn Farm has Texel, Suffolk, Romney, Beltex and Aberfeld sheep studs.
Mr Scott, who arrived in New Zealand in December, was heading home in March in time for lambing and calving.
When he spoke to his father last week, it was -9°C that morning.
Like New Zealand, there was a decline in ewe numbers in Scotland which he attributed to a lack of staff.
"People don’t want to work with sheep or cattle; it’s easier to drive a tractor," he said.
In another similarity, he said there had also been good grazing land planted in pine trees in recent years.
There was also an increasing focus on animal health and welfare.
Lamb prices at the moment were "awesome" with farmers receiving about £130 to £140 for a fat lamb, while cattle prices were at record levels.
Significant changes to farm subsidies in Scotland would potentially mean more opportunities
He reckoned there were "definitely" a few sheep on offer at the Gore sale that would fit into the Scott family’s farming system.
Waikaka Texels, run by Sharon Paterson at Greenvale, topped the A&P ram fair, selling a ram for $4400 to Rosie Hore and Maurice King.
