TRENT Wilkin fosters a hope that his son Charlie will be a seventh-generation Wilkin in wool production.
Although that ambition has been shaky in the past year or two, last week's much-needed rise in the market was a tonic for Trent's hopes.
The Eastern Market Indicator rose 47c/kg on its pre-Christmas rate to close the week at 926c/kg clean.
But more importantly for Trent, the superfines - finer than 18.5 micron - recorded gains of up to 60c/kg.
"We've alway been in superfines as there is nothing much else you can run on this granite country," he said.
Like most sheep producers in central Victoria, the Wilkins have been hit hard by drought and high feed costs and have halved their Avington-bloodline flock to 1500 head in recent years.
Last week Trent sold 30 bales in the Landmark catalogue.
His top line of 14.7-micron weaners wool, with a yield of 71.6 per cent and a staple strength of 31N/kt, sold for 100c/kg above valuation at 1099c/kg, while his top ewe line at 16.6-micron sold for 958c/kg clean.
He was happy with the prices, but said that to be profitable the market needed to improve another 500c/kg.
