WITH a quality line-up of Poll Merinos and a number of big volume buyers, the Hyfield Poll Merino sale at Kojonup last week defied the season with the average up and a top price of $3100 being achieved.
Right from the outset buyers made their intentions clear as they chased hard on the rams which best suited their requirements, showing they had confidence in the industry, just like Hyfield's parent company Wellards, which has made huge investments in the livestock sector over the past 18 months.
By the conclusion of the sale the buyers had shown their faith in the industry despite the season, clearing 172 of the 200 rams offered under the hammer at an average of $868, up $107 on last year's sale when 174 out of 197 rams sold for an average of $761.
Landmark stud stock manager and auctioneer Nathan King said it was a very good result for the stud.
"The quality of the rams on offer was very good and the line-up the most consistent quality I have seen at Hyfield," Mr King said.
"Now they are only focusing on Poll Merinos I think the quality will continue to improve."
Equally impressed with the result was Elders stud stock auctioneer Dennis Roberts who said strong buying support from volume buyers ensured a positive clearance and an increase on average on last year.
"The rams this year were very well presented with quality white wools and the buyers appreciated this by bidding strongly," Mr Roberts said.
With an even line-up of quality white wools on offer it meant buyers could select their requirements all through the shed with confidence, but the stud's lead ram certainly attracted the eyes of several buyers.
When bidding started at $1500 on the upstanding sire, the bids flew in thick and fast but in the end it was return buyer Bernie Rhodes, TJ & ME Rhodes & Son, Highbury, who was pencilled down in the books as the buyer at $3100.
Mr Rhodes said it was the third ram they had purchased from the stud and like the others it will be used in a nucleus flock to breed rams for their 1800 ewes which are mated to Merinos.
"He is a big, solid ram, who has length of body and a quality wool," Mr Rhodes said.
Not only is it the third ram the Rhodes have purchased from Hyfield but also their third poll sire after switching to Poll Merino because of ease of management and their early maturing nature.
The good-bodied, March shorn ram weighed in at 101kg and had current wool figures of 19.4 micron, 3.0 SD, 15.5 CV and 99.6 per cent CF.
Taking home the second top-priced ram at $2600 was first time buyers Lynford Farms, Williams, after being losing bidder on the top price ram.
The long stapled, white-woolled March shorn 99.5kg Poll sire was catalogued in pen two and had current wool tests of 18.3 micron, 3.0 SD, 16.4 CV and 99.8pc CF.
Lynford Farms also secured a square ram with plenty of spring of rib at $2300, which weighed 90kg and measured 19.5 micron, 3.3 SD and 99.8pc CF.
Paying good money for eight sires and securing the third top-priced ram at $2400 was the Forrester family, Davjeff Nominees, Casuarinas, who will mate 1200 ewes to Merinos this year.
The $2400 sire was an upstanding, white-woolled 90kg ram which had wool measurements of 18.2 micron, 4.1 SD and 99.6pc CF.
The Forresters' team averaged $1425 and also included three rams at $1700.
Buying a considerable size draft at the high end of the sale was newly appointed Cranston Pty Ltd farm manager Geoff Hillman, Wandering.
The Wandering operation which focuses solely on Merinos, was buying from the stud for the first time and secured 18 rams at an average of $1425 and to a top of $2300.
Mr Hillman, who saw the Hyfield rams at the Mingenew Expo and was impressed, said the aim was to mate 7000 ewes all to Merinos this year.
"We are switching the operation to Polls for their easy-care traits," Mr Hillman said.
Also buying 18 rams but at a lower average of $655 was Tania and Rob Menzies, RS & TJ Menzies, New Norcia, who have been buying from the stud for four years.
But Cranston and the Menzies weren't the biggest buyer in the sale with this honour going to Cadogan Estates manager Tony Stringer, Williams and Elders stud stock representative Kevin Broad, who secured 49 rams under the hammer and one post sale for the Williams farm, which has been buying for six years at the stud.
The 49 rams purchased under the hammer topped at $1800 and averaged $888.
Mr Stringer said the purchase of 50 rams was their normal requirement, but they only bought 20 at last year's sale, compared to the big team of 100 they picked up in 2008.
"We are aiming to mate 10,000 ewes this year all to Merinos as we see a big future in breeding replacement Merino ewes," Mr Stringer said. "I think in the next couple of years there will be a big demand for Merino ewes and hopefully we will be in a position to take advantage of this."
Other buyers purchasing more than 10 rams included return buyer Atlas Farms, Calingiri, which secured 11 rams at an average of $850 and to a top of $1300, while another return buyer Eric Wright, EA & CE Wright, Kojonup, purchased 11 sires at an average of $573.
Securing 12 rams at a lower average of $533 was Hyfield South Australian representative Steve Reynolds, who was purchasing on behalf of Unalla Pastoral Co, Port Augusta.
