BUYERS once again came from far and wide to secure quality genetics at the Corrigin Ram Breeders Association annual ram sale on Monday, pushing bids to a top of $3000 twice from the Poll Merino offering.
A total of 143 stud and specially selected rams were offered by three regular vendors, with 122 sold under the hammer at a healthy average of $867, albeit slightly lower than last year when the clearance rate was also lower.
The highest bid of the sale was for a four-tooth ram from Lewisdale-Corrigin stud in the Westcoast Livestock catalogue, which was snapped up by Michael Sudholz, trading as S & M Sudholz, Piawaning.
The ram, which was regulation shorn in March and boasted August wool test results of 19.4 micron and 99.8 per cent comfort factor, will be used by regular buyers Mr Sudholz and father Steven to breed their own rams.
"It is a good stud sire and has good white crimpy wool which is well-suited to our area," Mr Sudholz said.
Of the two other four-tooth rams offered at the beginning of the Lewisdale-Corrigin catalogue, only one sold for $2000 to Mr Sudholz's uncle Peter Sudholz, trading as PL & PR Sudholz, Jurien Bay.
The ram had wool test results of 20.6 micron and 98.9pc CF, as well as weighing 146.5 kilograms and an eye muscle depth measuring 42.3mm.
Two other studs once again offered rams through the Elders catalogue, and it was a Prime SAMM from Warren and Tammy Garlick's Capolinga stud which again attracted the top sire price for the afternoon of $1550 from this section of the sale.
The big, solid 99.5 kilogram ram had current scan results of 42mm EMD, 7mm fat and 24 micron wool, and was snapped up by Terry Cronin, trading as Bunkin Farming Enterprises, Dumbleyung, in his only purchase.
Mr Cronin, who runs a self-replacing Prime SAMM flock of about 2500 ewes, said he selected the ram based on its eye muscle depth and the thickness of its body.
Elders
A total of 43 specially selected rams were offered by regular vendors Capolinga Prime SAMM, Kondinin, and Brookton-based Poll Dorset stud Longdale in the Elders catalogue, of which 35 sold at an overall average of $861 which was $80 more than last year.
Warren and Tammy Garlick's Capolinga stud opened the sale to spirited bidding and went on to sell 29 of 35 rams offered to nine registered buyers at an average of $862.
This represented an average increase of almost $100 on last year, and their top price of $1550 was also $1000 more than their highest bid in 2015.
Their second-top price of $1350 was paid for a 97.5kg ram measuring 43mm EMD, 4mm fat and 25 micron and was bought by Bruce Browning, trading as B & C Browning, Kondinin.
A return client who also bought another ram for $1000, Mr Browning said he liked the ease of running Prime SAMMs.
He was looking for early maturity and a good eye muscle depth in the rams, which would be used over half of his self-replacing Merino flock.
Thompson Entities, Pingaring, was the volume buyer from the stud, taking home seven rams at an average of $814 and to a top of $950.
SN & HR Garlick, Kondinin and Woodlands EGT, Hyden, each bought five rams at an average of $750 and $700 respectively.
The Hathaway family's Poll Dorset rams were the next offered, with six of the eight rams offered sold at an average of $858, up $58 from 2015.
Three buyers vied for the rams, with Bruce Browning paying the top price of $950 for a 108kg ram with 97 eye muscle width, 43 EMD and 6mm fat.
Greg Hunter, trading as GS Hunter, Bruce Rock, bought four rams at an average of $825, while the remaining ram was knocked down to LK & LG Beurteaux, Corrigin for $900.
Westcoast Livestock
Well-presented Poll Merino rams from Lewisdale-Corrigin owners Mathew, Shirley and Luke Ledwith rounded out the sale, with 87 of the 100 rams offered sold under the hammer at an average of $870 to 13 buyers.
While the average was $87 lower than last year, the clearance rate was up more than 10pc to 87pc compared with 75pc in 2015.
The top price of $3000 was achieved twice by the stud, once by the four-tooth ram in pen one, and again for the first two-tooth offered in pen four.
The two-tooth ram, which had August wool test results of 21.6 micron and 99.4pc CF, was bought by Neil Climas on behalf of regular stud buyer David Guelfi, Newdegate.
Mr Climas bought a total of 13 rams for Mr Guelfi at an average of $1219, and said he was looking for rams with long, white, bright, crimpy wool.
Also taking home 13 rams was AT Lane & Sons, Hyden, who paid an average of $654 and to a top of $850.
The second-top price of $2100 was paid for another two-tooth ram with test results including 20.7 micron, 99.7pc CF, 128kg bodyweight and 43.7mm EMD, and was one of eight rams bought by Thompson Entities, Pingaring, at an average of $950.
Also filling its trailer was Morrell Valley, Hyden, with 10 rams at $600 each, while Preston Clarke bought nine rams for an undisclosed Eastern States buyer at an average of $717.
Regular buyer Peter Scott, trading as Scott Grazing Co, East Chapman, again travelled to Corrigin to secure eight rams at an average of $919 and to a top of $1200 for a ram with 19.3 micron, 99.3pc CF, 100kg and 41.1mm EMD.
Three buyers took home six rams each - TR & MA Pearce, Hyden, at an average of $733; AR & MK Crooks, Ardath, at an average of $717; and KA & CM Stephen, Moorine Rock, at an average of $1000 and to a top of $1400.
Robin J Hester, Kalannie and FT & J Butcher, Watheroo, bought three rams each for $600 and $800 a head respectively.
