ROCK solid prices from start to finish reflected the evenness of quality throughout the Chirniminup Dohne ram sale at Nyabing on Monday.
The 120-ram yarding posted a $2300 top but it was the consistency of prices that set a $1378 average that was a real highlight.
Chirniminup studmaster and passionate Dohne breeder Rachael Browne said Dohnes were the modern day farmer's sheep because they had comprehensive performance figures and individual rams were easy to compare with rams of other breeds and other Dohnes studs.
It was this non-visual information that inspired new stud breeder Denis Warnick, Boonadine, York, to pay the top money.
He registered a stud based on pure Chirniminup bloodlines in 2013 and said apart from being a good all-round type of sheep his new addition had potential based on figures.
"He is two months younger than most of the other rams and he is the only ram in the sale that is a triplet," Mr Warnick said.
"Given that, I think he will grow into something pretty big."
Mr Warnick, who works for Landmark in York, had built a 70-ewe flock but mainly ran a mixed breed commercial prime lamb flock on a small landholding as a sideline.
He said the experience in breeding stud and commercial sheep gave him a broader insight into sheep than just marketing them for farmers.
His ram, by Chirniminup sire 81402, was in the top 10 percentile band (for July 2016) for weaning weight, 4.6; post weaning weight 6.0; eye muscle depth 1.2; clean fleece weight 10.5; contributing to a 168.8 index.
While the most of the 26-strong buying register were established clients Waynne and Pip Crook, Coolangatta Trust, Kojonup, were among four new buyers.
They bid on numerous lots and paid up to $2100 for one of three rams.
Mr Crook said they had been breeding Dohnes for 15 years and because they were usually busy at this time of the year they hadn't previously bought from Chirniminup.
The stud had been recommended as a ram source by their wool buyer and they came looking for sires that were good all-round sheep but with a strong emphasis on increasing wool weight.
Ms Browne said it was acknowledged that Dohne lambs had exceptional growth and carcases but in the wake of good wool prices she noticed buyers were shifting their priority to wool cut and quality and producing good quality apparel wool had always been part of her breeding objective.
It was the stud's 10th annual sale and while the Browne family would have preferred it to be remembered on a positive note salegoers were more likely to recall the chilly wind that had the big crowd shivering.
Even exhilaration of some strong bidding that sent prices over the $2000-mark seven times failed to warm buyers but there were plenty of opportunities for bidders to get good buying value at the $800 upset price.
Retired farmer Winston Scotney was at the sale with son Nick, Moora, and bid on behalf of his second son John from Badgingarra, who was on a surfing holiday in Indonesia.
The two men, both long-term clients, bought a total of 11 between them including rams at $2200 (2).
PW & LF Adams, Kukerin, paid $2100 and $1800; TC & GS Gray, Dumbleyung, paid $2000 for one of six rams; and former Dohne breeder Murray Drage held a bidding order for two clients and acquired four rams for up to $2100 on behalf of Creek Farms, Boyup Brook.
With the luxury of private selections after the sale, buyers felt no pressure to bid on sheep that didn't take their fancy and as a result 10 rams were passed in.
The sale's $1378 average represented an $81 drop on last year and was in line with most other Dohne sales held so far this year that have also been slightly easier.
However, the strength of the sale right to the last sheep was a feature with Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren knocking down pen 120 for $1800 to RVC Davidson & Sons, Kukerin.
Some of the notable buyers were Anbrook Grazing Co, Beverley, which bought 10 rams and has been buying from Chirniminup for more than a decade.
Anbrook bought the first two lots which were initially March shorn and being prepared for the national Dohne sale in Dubbo.
After a change of heart they were included in the on-farm auction and fetched $1600 and $1700.
Local buyer CF & CA Ramm & Son paid $1900 (twice), and AR & JJ Thorn, Bruce Rock; PR & LR Coles, Wagin; Compass Ag, Nyabing; each paid $1900 for at least one of their selections.
