LIKE the selling season so far, the Westerdale on-property ram sale at McAlinden last week was white hot from start to finish, averaging $1851.
With strong buying support from return clients and a handful of new clients chasing the quality white wools the stud is renowned for, buyers were keen to secure their preferred selections, sending prices to a peak of $5400.
When the final ram was knocked down by Landmark auctioneer Deane Allen, the Jackson family had cleared 111 of the 114 rams offered under the hammer at a stunning average of $1851, which was up an impressive $438 on last year's result when 96 rams averaged $1413.
And by the time the selling team jumped off the rail the three passed-in rams were sold, giving the stud a total clearance.
Mr Allen said it was a tremendous result for the Jackson family.
"The sale was well supported by repeat buyers and a handful of new buyers, who know the proven qualities of the Westerdale sheep," he said.
"Buyers were chasing the bright, white and high yielding wools which the stud is renowned for and they showed they were prepared to pay.
"It was a top line-up of white, bright woolled rams which showed they are bred to handle high rainfall like this year."
With a very even line-up of rams throughout the shed, it was easy to see why the sale reached such a high average.
Prices varied little from start to finish, as buyers continued to find classy rams in the back run.
The sale got off to a flying start with the first run of 10 rams averaging $3480.
Leading the way in the run was a long-stapled, upstanding ram in pen one.
Bidding kicked off at $3000 on the classy Poll sire and bids from all parts of the shed kept the selling team on their toes, hitting $5000 before they knew it.
In the end it was new buyer Danny Hansberry, Eriswell Park, Orchid Valley, who had the winning nod at $5400 to secure the ram.
Mr Hansberry said the ram's structure and wool quality were its best assets.
"He is a good, big boned sheep and carries a top wool," Mr Hansberry said.
"He is a similar ram to what I have purchased in the past from other studs and because he is bred in a similar rainfall to us I think he will fit in well."
The ram will be used in Mr Hansberry's nucleus flock of 150 ewes to breed rams for his 3500 head flock of Merino ewes, of which 2500 are mated to Merino rams and 1000 to prime lamb sires.
The ram had May wool test results of 18 micron, 3.7 sd, 20.4 cv, 99.9 per cent comfort factor, 17.4 spin fine and 4.6kg greasy fleece weight.
Missing out on the top price tag by just $100 was a thick, deep, square ram in pen 10.
The well-covered, long-stapled ram also created a frenzy after bidding started at $2000, but in the end it was first-time buyers the Patterson family, Woolkabin stud, Woodanilling, who won the bidding.
It was the first time brothers Chris and Eric Patterson had attended the Westerdale sale after admiring the stud's wools from a distance for some time.
"We decided it was time to inject a different bloodline into the stud which would keep our wools up," Chris Patterson said.
And when it came to choosing their preferences Mr Patterson said the ram stood out due to its width of body, frame length and structure.
"In addition to his conformation he is also nice and plain and carries a good wool, which will help keep the quality up in our wools," Mr Patterson said.
The upstanding sire had May test results of 19.4 micron, 3.4 sd, 17.8 cv, 99.8pc cf and 18.4 spin fine.
The Woolkabin stud also secured a second ram in the front row for $3300.
After missing out on the top-priced sire, return buyer Wilberforce stud, York, secured a quality woolled ram at $4000, which measured 16 micron in May, and others at $2800 and $2900 after leaving a buying order with stud consultant Bruce Cameron.
Another stud to buy in the front row was the Sunny Valley stud, Quindanning, which paid $4000 for the third ram offered which measured 15.7 micron, 2.9 SD and 99.8pc CF in May.
Bruce Edmonds, Glen-Byrne stud, Calingiri, made the trip down to the sale with Landmark Wongan Hills agent Grant Lupton and selected rams later in the catalogue, which were fancied by many.
Mr Edmonds paid $4500 for a long-stapled, stylish woolled ram, which measured 17.1 micron, 3.0 SD and 99.8pc CF in May, and $2000 for another top woolled ram.
Pingelly operation G & A Watts pushed hard on many of the top rams and missed out narrowly, but didn't go home empty handed after securing six rams to a top of $3200 (twice) and an average of $2580 (twice), while Marlo Farms, Gnowangerup, which was another unlucky bidder on the top ram, secured four rams at an average of $2225.
Buying big numbers again was DFD Rhodes Pty Ltd manager Michael Wright, Boyup Brook.
He purchased 16 rams for the operation, which is aiming to mate 4600 ewes to Merinos and 2500 to prime lamb sires, at an average of $2256.
Included in the operation's team was a sire at $3100 and another at $2900.
Also buying numbers at good values was return buyer of more than 35 years Andy McElroy, PR & JA McElroy, Boyup Brook, who purchased 10 rams to a top of $2200 and an average of $1610.
Others to buy sizable drafts included return buyers Stretch Enterprises, Kojonup and RI Mills, Boyup Brook, which purchased eight rams at averages of $1263 and $1525 respectively, while WP & ST Duffield, Darkan, secured seven sires averaging $1157; RL & HM Tuckett, Boyup Brook, averaged $1967 and Bondfield Farms, Boyup Brook, averaged $1383 over their teams of six.