MERINO breeders looking for heavy cutting wool rams with good crimp and a lustrous fibre found what they were looking for at the inaugural Hiview Poll Merino on-property ram sale at Kulikup.
This was the first sale for Perry and Sharon Corker and family since their decision to move from the Dinninup ram sale last year and loyal clients who knew the wool qualities and body constitution of the heavy fleece cutting sheep bid accordingly to secure 56 of the 60 rams offered at auction.
The Corkers achieved a stud record top price of $6400 and averaged $1736 under the hammer to gross $97,200.
The average was back $340 on their average achieved at last year's Dinninup ram sale when they offered and sold 45 Poll Merino rams, 15 fewer then this year, at a $4400 top price and averaged $2076.
Elders Kojonup territory sales manager Peter Wharton said the Corker family should be commended on the effort they made to hold their inaugural on-property ram sale.
"The new facility and hospitality were outstanding, and the presentation of the sheep couldn't have been better," Mr Wharton said.
"The rams were in exceptional condition with their body weights averaging seven kilograms up on last year.
"There were 14 registered buyers at the sale, all which were regular or long-term and many whom purchased in volume.
"Two loyal clients from the South West coastal area secured sires, which proves the stud's dual-purpose genetics are suitable to the high rainfall areas."
Elders auctioneer Don Morgan was quick to take the $2000 opening bid on the high yielding, stylish woolled $6400 top-priced ram.
Bids flew from one side of the shed to the other before he knocked it down to Mal Gibbs, ME Gibbs & Co, Dinninup.
The 102kg ram displayed current wool figures of 18.8 micron, 17 CV, 99.5 per cent comfort factor (CF), 73.9pc yield, 100pc YEMD, 98Ppc YFAT and was sired by Hiview Super Car.
Mr Gibbs said he selected this particular sire to breed to a nucleus flock of 80 Merino ewes to breed his own rams from.
"I couldn't go past the density of his wool, as well as its high crimp and style," Mr Gibbs said.
"He has a high yield which really suit our needs.
"Due to our autumn shearing, we suffer from reduced yields in our flock but with the purchase of this young sire we hope to push them up to 70pc from a low 60pc."
Mr Gibbs has 4000 ewes and previous to now had purchased from the Corker family a long time ago.
Losing bidder on the top price ram was Elders Boyup Brook/Bridgetown agent Brendon Mead who was back again this year, bidding for return buyers of 11 years RD Hack, Boyup Brook.
Mr Mead secured a total of six Hiview sires for the Hacks at an average of $1983 and a top of $2700.
It was lot 12 which caught Mr Meads eyes when it weighed 96kg and expressed wool figures of 19.1 micron, 17.7 CV, 99.7pc CF, 111pc greasy fleece weight (GFW), 72.5pc yield plus carcase numbers of 108pc PWT, 99pc YWT, 98pc YEMD and was sired by Hiview Super Car.
Volume buyer on the day was return clients of 18 years Peter and Carolyn Reid, DP & MC Reid, Boyup Brook, who collected 18 rams in total at a top of $2700 and at an average of $1572.
The Reid's top-priced purchase was for a long-bodied sire in lot 21 which was sired by Hiview C-Dax and had a wool figures of 17.3 micron, 99.8pc CF, 104pc GFW along with carcase numbers of 109pc PWT and a 106pc YEMD.
Mr Reid said he was chasing good quality, free growing woolled rams, that had good bodyweights and could handle reasonably wet conditions.
Another strong support of the Hiview team was neighbour and relative Neville Chambers, NC & CM Chambers, Kulikup, who took home four rams at a $2625 average.
His $2800 topper was sired by Terrick West Hamilton and displayed figures of 18.4 micron, 16.3 CV, 99.5pc CF and 100pc YEMD.
Mr Chambers said he has been purchasing rams from the family for 20 plus years and liked the bold crimp and style of their wool.
"I run 900 mixed age ewes, however these rams will be joined to 240 young maiden ewes," Mr Chambers said.
Loyal buyer Mark Jefferies, Jefferies Grazing, Tenterden, was after wool cut and nourishment and bought 10 rams under the hammer for a $1240 average and $2100 top price on two occasions, while Craig Power, Power Grazing, Busselton, had been bidding on a number of rams before securing his first one at lot 26.
Mr Power ended up with six rams on his account to a top of $2100 and for a $1800 average, while Mr Wharton had an order for three from GC Kilreaney Holdings, Kojonup, and secured them at a $1533 average.
Purchasing a few Hiview rams each were Kojonup producers R & BM Binns and Wheatfield Pastoral Co.
They paid an average of $2150 and $800 respectively, while obtaining a single sire acquisition was BM Giudici, Donnybrook, for $2600 and Echo Farming, Carbanup, for $1500.