AN outstanding full clearance of all 80 penned rams at last week's Uralla Prime SAMM ram sale made up for averages being slightly down on last year.
Peter Jensen and his daughter Rachael's hard work and commitment to the Prime SAMM breed was truly evident with long-time clients flocking to the family's Pingaring farm to invest in quality genetics for the new breeding season.
Just 13 buyers registered for the Landmark auction but it was enough to ensure all the young rams found new homes on the day.
The sale grossed $79,900 for the Jensen family, who farm some 10,000 hectares with cropping and commercial Merino, prime lamb and cattle interests alongside their quality Prime SAMM stud.
The $999 average was down $20 on last year's figures which saw 65 of the 80 penned rams cleared under the hammer for a top price of $1550 and an average of $1019 (grossing $66,250).
This year's $1700 top price was paid by the same man who forked out $1550 to ensure he secured last year's premier young sire.
Trevor Major and his wife Sophie, Muntadgin, are long-time Uralla clients and have been buying Prime SAMM rams from the Jensens since they started the stud.
As usual the catalogued line-up was penned in no particular order so Mr Major found his preferred ram in pen 17.
Up against a handful of other buyers that were keen to take the strapping young sire home, Mr Major eventually bought the 112 kilogram sheep which measured a 20.6 micron and 99.3 per cent comfort factor fleece.
In terms of its carcase attributes the ram also recorded a 64 EMW, 44 EMD and 5 FAT.
Mr Major registered under two trading names at the sale, DM & AL Major Farming and TR Major, as he also bought a number of rams on behalf of his son Darren who he farms with at Muntadgin.
While Mr Major's wife Sophie is largely in charge of running the Prime SAMMs on the farm, he also runs Merinos while their son runs a number of Prime SAMMs, Merinos, Coolalees and their crosses for prime lamb production.
The Majors started their Prime SAMM production program with an F1 flock having integrated Prime SAMM sires into their existing Merino mob, their is now no trace of Merino left.
"They were originally Rocco De Bellis's Gracefield bloodlines but they are now 100 per cent Uralla," Mr Major said.
"We join about 1000 ewes to Prime SAMMs each season and look for meaty-looking prime lamb sires with a big frame and lots of muscle."
The Major family sells its wethers as lambs and the ewes that aren't used as replacements as hoggets are usually sold to Fletcher International.
The second top price of $1500 was paid four times throughout the afternoon.
Two of the four (lots 47 and 51) were also picked up by Mr Major on behalf of his son.
They measured a 21.8 micron, 98.4 CF, 61 EMW, 42 EMD and 6 FAT as well as a 20.2 micron, 99.6pc CF, 57 EMW, 44 EMD and 10 FAT respectively.
Altogether the Major family went home with six rams for an average of $1383.
Lot seven which measured a 19.5 micron, 99.8pc CF, 64 EMW, 46 EMD and 7 FAT was bought by SF & KN Garard, Pingaring - it was one of two purchases for the day.
Lot 60 was picked up by Landmark Lake Grace agent Garry Prater on behalf of Mt Sheridan, Newdegate and fellow buyer Nick Ruddenklau, Esperance, did his bidding while Mr Prater was on the rail.
It too was one of two rams bought by the business for the day and measured a 23.2 micron, 96pc CF, 62 EMW, 47 EMD and 6 FAT.
Mr Ruddenklau, farm manager for JA Russell Australia Pty Ltd, was the obvious volume buyer of the sale.
He secured a team of 22 for an average of $827.
Other buyers included FS & KM James, Hyden, who bought nine, James Pastoral, Hyden, took home eight and DM, MCL & JA Stewart, Lake Grace, purchased seven.
Tom Lynch, Hyden, bought six in total, FP & CAM Nield, Hyden, bought five, while AN & RA Baker & Son, Pingaring and Spark & Spark, Kulin, bought four each. Others to have an impact on the sale were AJ & FJ Stewart, Pingaring, buying three and Andrew Stewart, Pingaring, who bought one.
Mr Prater said the sale was a good reflection of how Prime SAMM genetics are performing on abattoir kill sheets this season.
"The Jensens themselves are no strangers to quality prime lamb production having placed highly in the WAMMCO State Prime Lamb Carcase competition for a number of years now with their Prime SAMM entries," he said.
"Today's line-up is a credit to the family and all its hard work."