WHILE the weather was cold outside the selling shed, the atmosphere inside was red hot as the Woodyarrup on-property sale hit a $2099 average last Tuesday.
Once again Craig Dewar and his son Lachlan presented a consistent quality line-up of 252 Merino and Poll Merino rams that found plenty of favour with loyal repeat buyers and some new clients.
With temperatures reaching a maximum of about 12 degrees on the day, some rain throughout the sale added some confidence to those buying, with the moisture coming just in the nick of time for many in attendance.
In what was a terrific sale the average was up $302 on last year’s result with 248 of the 252 rams offered selling under the hammer, compared to the 249 that sold last year.
With the majority of the offering Merinos, they were clearly in demand with 216 of 217 selling under the hammer to average $2206, while 32 of the 35 Poll Merinos offered sold to an average of $1372.
This year’s Merino average was up by $294 compared to last year, while the Poll Merino average jumped $307 on the 2017 result.
Buying confidence was prevalent throughout the catalogue and the wool tests and bodyweights backed up the presentation of the rams on offer right through to the last lot.
The Merino rams averaged 19.2 micron, 3 SD, 15.8 CV and 99.6 per cent comfort factor (CF) and 104 kilograms, while the Poll Merinos averaged 18.6 micron, 3 SD, 16.25 CV and 99.7pc CF and 98kg.
Once again ASBV figures accompanied all rams and the Merinos averaged 163 for MP+ and 155 for DP+, while the Polls sat at 149 for MP+ and 147 for DP+.
It was clear from the start of the sale that the ram to watch was in lot 26 and it was decided by the Dewars and the Elders selling team that this ram would be offered first in the sale.
The ram certainly lived up to its hype with Cardiff stud classer Kevin Broad, Elders stud stock, having the winning bid on the ram at the sale’s top price of $15,000.
A son of Woodyarrup 150721, the top price ram tested at 19.9 micron, 3.4 SD, 16.9 CV and 99.1pc CF.
The August 2018 drop ram also had an impressive frame with a bodyweight of 119kg, while its ASBVs sat at 4.7 YWT, -0.9 YFAT, -1.2 YEMD, 20.2 YCFW, -2.0 YFD, 149.8 DP+ and 157.6 MP+.
Its YFD figure was in the top 10pc on MerinoSelect, while the MP+ figure was in the top 15pc and the YCFW sat in the top 20pc.
Mr Broad said Cardiff was keen on the ram for its lustrous and stylish wool.
“(Cardiff stud principal) Quentin Davies inspected the sale team the week before the sale and was impressed with this ram’s fleece quality,” Mr Broad said.
“It is a new family for the Cardiff breeding program and Quentin is keen to try some new genetics and to continually improve the wool quality of the rams he is breeding and that is why we chased this ram.”
While there were several studs bidding on rams throughout the sale, it was a commercial breeder that secured the $10,200 second top price of the sale.
Cam Williamson, Lassogowrie, Cranbrook, normally buys several rams at the Woodyarrup sale, but this year the liked the look of the ram in lot three and was prepared to make it his sole purchase of the sale.
Another 120175 son, this big, growthy ram was only a September 2017 drop, but carried plenty of bodyweight and a quality fleece to go with it.
The ram weighed in at 118kg and its wool tested at 19.5 micron, 3 SD, 15.4 CV and 99.5pc CF, while it had ASBVs of 6.9 YWT, -0.5 YFAT, -0.2 YEMD, 24.2 YCFW, -0.7 YFD, a DP+ of 153.7 and an MP+ pf 155.6, which was in the top 15pc on MerinoSelect.
Mr Williamson said it was the ram’s size and good quality, soft white wool that prompted him to take it home.
The $7000 third top price ram of the sale is also heading to a commercial operation when it was bought by Warrening Gully, Williams.
Warrening Gully manager Shaun Counsel said the ram appealed to him for its structure and heavy cutting, high impact wool.
“We called through and had a look at the sale team prior to the sale and were impressed with what we saw,” Mr Counsel said.
“I actually had the top price ram and the second top price ram selected also but I am very happy with this bloke, he is a very good sheep.”
The ram will be used in a nucleus flock to breed rams for the Warrening Gully’s commercial Merino flock of 4000 ewes.
The ram was a 121191 son and tested at 19.2 micron, 3.5 SD, 18.1 CV, 98.8pc CF and weighed in at 111.5kg.
It was rated very highly on the ASBV front, with a 6.6 YWT, a -1.0 YFAT, a YEMD of -0.4, a YCFW of 37.7, a YFD of -0.9, a DP+ of 172.3 and a MP+ of 177.3. Its YCFW and MP+ were in the top 2pc on MerinoSelect, while the DP+ was in the top 5pc.
JJ & AE Letter, Tambellup, was another commercial buyer to pay a higher value taking home one ram at $5700.
This son of 140149 tested at 19.4 micron, 3.5 SD, 18 CV and 99.9pc CF and weighed in at 115.5kg.
The ram had ASBV figures of 6.6 YWT, -0.2 YFAT, 0.1 YEMD, 37.2 YCFW (top 2pc), -0.7 YFD, a DP+ of 171.1 (top 5pc) and a MP+ of 174.4 (top 2pc).
Other higher values paid on the day included $5200 for lot one, which was bought by PJ & EJ Doyle, Corrigin. This ram was a 120175 son that was one of the heaviest rams in the sale at 124kg with a wool test of 20.3 micron, 3 SD, 14.8 CV and 99.7pc CF.
It ranked very highly on the ASBV scale with an 8 YWT which was in the top 15pc, a DP+ of 158.3, which was also in the top 15pc and a YCFW of 29.4 which put it in the top 2pc.
The Doyles bought three rams in total at the sale paying $4700 and $3600 for the other two.
Also buying rams at the top end price-wise were TF & RA O’Meehan & Peenebup, which bought one at $4800 and one at $3300, Nairnup stud, Munglinup, which bought two at $4400 and $4100, while Arethusa, Quairading, went to $3900.
The O’Meehan’s top price ram was situated in lot 21 and tested at 18.5 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.7 CV and 99.9pc CF.
It had a 29.3 YCFW that put it in the top 2pc, while its DP+ figure of 154.9 was in the top 20pc and its MP+ of 166.3 sat in the top 5pc.
Nairnup’s $4400 ram was also one of the heaviest in the catalogue at 129kg while its wool quality shone through with a test of 17.6 micron, 3.0 SD, 16.8 CV and 99.8pc CF.
It also ranked highly on the ASBV front with a 21.7 YCFW, which was in the top 15pc, a -2.7 YFD (top 5pc), a 155.5 DP+ (top 20pc) and a 169.2 MP+ (top 5pc).
Volume buyers always make a sale and as usual Woodyarrup had a good number of them.
These are mostly long-term clients that come back year after year, happy with the results that the Woodyarrup product provides them.
This is none moreso than Morgan Bros, Cranbrook, who this year bought 24 rams at auction.
In their seventh year buying from Woodyarrup, the Morgans paid a top of $2500 to fill their requirements.
Also taking a big number of rams was another repeat buyer, Ramm Family Farming, Dumbleyung, who went home with 16 Merinos.
Not far behind this in the numbers stakes was TMJ O’Neil, Mukinbudin, who bought 14 Merinos, while Rob Davy, Blackboy Grazing, Mettler, was successful on his usual 13 rams, which were all Merinos.
The Patmore family, Springhill Farm, Narrogin, were back again to take 11 Merinos and paid good values to get the rams they were after with their purchases including rams at $3600 and $3200.
Sheep classer Philip Russell was busy throughout the sale buying for several clients, with Eddington Farming Co, Katanning, the most prevalent with 11 Merinos.
Also buying good numbers of Merinos was Myoting Plains, Quairading, which took nine and T & L Wray, Gnowangerup, who bought eight.
In the Poll Merino catalogue it was five buyers that made up most of the buying support.
The volume buyer in the sale was Russell McKay, Elders stud stock, who bought 12 Polls on behalf of Miripin Farms, Woodanilling, to a top of $1200, while Wattledale Farms, Albany, bought eight including one at $2100.
Top price in the Poll catalogue was $2300 paid by repeat Woodyarrup buyer, KW & CR Frost, Kendenup, who bought six in total.
Their top price ram tested at 20.1 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.2 CV, 99.7pc CF and had ASBVs of 7 YWT, -0.7 YFAT, -1.2 YEMD, 19.9 YCFW, -1.3 YFD, with a DP+ of 145.3 and a MP+ of 151.8.
Moir & Co, Albany, bought two Polls at auction to go with two Merinos, while County Peak, Beverley, rounded out the Poll purchasers with four.