IN a mirror image of last year, a top price of $10,000 for a Poll Merino ram was a highlight of the eighth annual on-property Derella Downs and Pyramid Poll ram sale at Cascade recently.
The quality of the line-up and the hospitality including a roast hogget lunch cooked by Mondo Butchers' own Vince Gareffa, set a positive scene in the stud's purpose-built ram selling shed, but it was a seasonally impacted tough day at the office for Derella Downs and Pyramid Poll stud principals Scott and Sue Pickering.
By sale end, under the hammer of Landmark Brindley & Chatley auctioneer Neil Brindley, they had offered 197 Merino and Poll Merino rams and sold 147 of them at auction for a $1241 average compared to last year's tally of 240 offered for 227 sold and a $2078 average.
The reduced result in no way reflected the passion, commitment, precision and investment the Pickerings bring to their stud breeding program in their relentless pursuit of providing a visually appealing product backed by genuine performance data, something clearly acknowledged by those in attendance.
Every ram had been DNA mapped and was offered with sire and dam parentage and horn-poll status, part of an industry trial which has seen the Pickerings DNA record all 1400 of their stud ewes plus 2018 drop lambs.
"It's providing us and our clients with some valuable data but visual assessment will remain first and foremost for us and we won't buy sires on figures alone," Mr Pickering said.
He was philosophical about the sale result, saying it was a day of opportunity for buyers.
"We have had outstanding support and achieved some great results with significant increases every year since we moved to an on-property sale eight years ago," Mr Pickering said.
"We knew it could not keep going on the upward trajectory forever and there would come a day of correction.
"But this year really was the perfect storm with some of our clients having moved out of sheep due to seasonal factors and others struggling for feed and water forced to cut back their ewe numbers which reduced their ram requirements."
Add to that a significant drop in the wool market in recent months, a severe frost event just days before the sale which for some meant a 100pc wipe-out of crops in a season that remains on a knife edge and the pre-sale signs were cause for concern.
"But it is what it is and we are in this game for the long haul so I did say to clients this is the year for you to buy up and make the most of the opportunity," Mr Pickering said.
One who was not going to be beaten to the chase on the ram of his choice was long-time regular Roger Nankivell, Condingup, who with wife Joanne outlaid the day's $10,000 top price for the second ram offered.
The couple breed their own rams and this sire impressed for its size and wool type, reflected in its figures of 21.1 micron, 2.6 SD, 12.3 CV, 99.8 per cent CF and ASBVs of 6.12 YWT, -0.09 YFAT, 0.32 YEMD, 19.71 YCFW, -0.21 YFD and 146 MP+, plus it provided outcross bloodlines.
The son of Moorundie 388, bought in partnership with Wiringa stud for $52,000 at the 2017 Royal Adelaide Show, was one of 48 Poll rams offered from this new bloodline which has proven a great success at Cascade.
The sire has also stamped its mark at Wiringa and in a number of Eastern States' studs with progeny selling at up to $35,000 to date.
Mr Nankivell said the trait leading ram he bought had length of staple, constitution and a big square body which would fit well in their 1500 head ewe flock which averages just under 20 micron.
"We are lucky to have someone with Scott's enthusiasm for stud breeding and passion for wool on our doorstep and with a willingness to contribute to a number of industry-related committees locally and beyond," Mr Nankivell said.
The second top price of the day, $3300 was bid by another sale regular, Brad Whiting, BT Whiting & Co, Munglinup, for a Merino by Derella Downs 510 which had figures of 18.2 micron, 3.1 SD, 17 CV, 99.8pc CF and ASBVs of 5.04 YWT, 0.21 YFAT, 0.73 YEMD, 18.95 YCFW, -1.19 YFD and 145 MP+.
Mr Whiting was focussing on wool cut, bulkiness of fleece, crimp and style, coupled with body shape in amassing a team of 11 Merinos and was another who appreciated being able to source high calibre rams locally.
"Having Scott here with a big offering of rams means we don't have to travel to Williams or Kojonup (or the like) to get our requirements," Mr Whiting said.
Back for a second year and buying through Landmark's Mitchell Crosby, Simon Fowler, Chilwell, Condingup, started where he left off the day before and was again the volume buyer, finishing with 27 Merinos and Poll Merinos.
Across from Boyup Brook, Rick Twigg, Tandara Traders, was also in the thick of it bidding wise.
His penchant was for Poll Merinos and he successfully waived his number four bidding card on 21 occasions to secure the sizeable team of flock improvers.
Sanderson Bros, Grass Path, was another to chase numbers finishing with nine rams.
Landmark Brindley & Chatley auctioneer Neil Brindley, who had kept the sale moving at a lively pace, said the result reflected seasonal conditions and recent wool market fluctuations.
"The quality was as good as ever here but a reduction in sheep numbers meant there were clients either not buying or buying reduced numbers," Mr Brindley said.
