THE Northampton Breeders' Ram Sale was strongly supported by buyers seeking locally bred genetics they know will handle what is shaping up to be a long harsh summer and autumn.
Evidence of the drier than usual season was apparent at this year's sale but the buoyant sheep and wool industry proved resilient as prices and clearance rates gave a better than expected result for most vendors.
Some commercial sheepmen told Farm Weekly they were planning to reduce flock numbers but, in some of the State's premier sheep country, there was also a good argument from others to keep up ewe numbers for the time when seasonal conditions improved.
At the end of the sale, figures showed there were five less rams sold than last year's total clearance and the overall Poll Merino average had slipped by $129 on 2018 - a much better result than the season suggested.
Three agents operated at the sale and Primaries auctioneer Craig Williams described it as very buoyant with people looking for plain bodied sheep with stylish white wool and, given the robustness of the industry, they were prepared to buy with confidence.
Within minutes of Westcoast Wool & Livestock auctioneer Brad Preston calling 'saleo' the $3500 top price had been set by Nathan, Jacqueline, Warwick and Joan Teakle's Walkindyer stud, Northampton.
In a move of total defiance the Teakle family added an extra five rams to the sale team and by the end of the day it was justified when they were the only vendor to achieved a total clearance despite a couple of absent clients.
The top price buyer was Andrew and Natasha Pluschke, Northampton, who bought a single ram to use in a nucleus from which they produce sires for their 2000-ewe breeding flock.
The ram stood out for its rich, crimpy wool showing figures of 19.8 fibre diameter, 2.9 standard deviation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor.
Mr Pluschke said they had been using Walkindyer genetics for the past 10 years and were seeking a combination of visual traits including staple length and length of body to get a good wool/meat balance.
They wanted good wool cut, the ability to turn off Merino wether lambs as quickly as possible and, at the same time, produce the ideal cast-for-age ewe for joining to terminal sires.
"The conditions up here can be harsh but they are tough sheep and they give us good market options at all stages of turn-off," Mr Pluschke said.
Walkindyer topped last year's sale at $3800 and achieved a $1333 average for 70 rams.
The sale had 32 registered buyers and it was an achievement in itself that 17 different buyers competed for Walkindyer's 75 rams to establish a $1159 average.
Among them was G & M Box, Northampton, who paid $2600 for a single ram.
Martindale Pty Ltd, New Norcia, paid $2100 and $2000 for the best of four; the Suckling family, Weeine Farming Co, Northampton, also was a major price setter taking the team leader for $1900, paying $2400 for a second ram and getting a third for $1800; and Davjeff Nominees, Geraldton, paid up to $2000 for seven rams.
Distant cousin and next-door neighbour Haydn Teakle and sons Daryl and Wes and respective wives Mary, Bridie and Sonia, from Squarewell Farming, underpinned the offering taking home 13 rams from all price brackets.
Under the call of Landmark auctioneer Grant Lupton the strong start was continued by Ben and Jackie Simkin, Lyndale stud, Northampton, when they received a $1600 bid from TJ & PK Carson, West Binnu and cleared all but one of their 20 rams for a $989 average.
This compared with $1333 received last year and was helped by good support from returning client PJ & AJ Clohessy, Bokara, back for the third successive year.
He twice paid up to $1400 and took most of the offering when they bought eight rams.
Mulga Springs studmaster Jessica Horstman claimed the honour of achieving the day's top average.
Ms Horstman was pleased to have strong competition at the top end of the offering but even more pleased to have buyers prepared to operate at all levels of the market ensuring almost a total clearance.
She and parents Chris and Pam Hasleby put up 20 Polls and all but one sold for a $1226 average.
Mulga Springs' $2800 top price exceeded last year's $2600 and for buyer Peter Cripps and son Lloyd, West Binnu, it was the most they'd ever paid for a ram.
It was their only purchase and again they were buying for a nucleus that supplied rams for their 1700-head Merino ewe flock.
It was their fourth year of buying from Mulga Springs and the team's evenness of wool quality was an important factor in making the switch to the new stud.
Mr Lloyd also was pleased Mulga Springs was now recording Australian Sheep Breeding Values and had been impressed with the figures so far and was looking forward to seeing progress in the future.
Other buyers who figured prominently in the Mulga Springs' action were Trevor Royce, Howatharra Grazing Co, Geraldton, with bids of $2000 and $1800 to take home six rams and W & E Boys, Coronation Beach, bought seven rams for up to $1800.
Daniel Gill and father Kevin, Sandhurst stud, Northampton, recorded $2200 when major buyer Callum Scott, Lyndhurst Grazing, Eneabba, set his sights on one particular ram that had a combination of staple length and wool cutting ability.
The Sandhurst team had a full set of ASBVs and the top price ram was double the breed average for both traits.
ET15 had +26.5 yearling clean fleece weight and +11.6 yearling staple length.
It also had a 162 Merino Production Index and a 163 Dual Purpose Index.
Mr Scott was a young wool producer success story for the Merino industry switching to Merinos when he returned home to the farm after he finished school about 10 years ago.
The family had tried Dorpers and had run cattle but they returned to Merinos because it was what they knew best.
It had helped that he had a good rapport with Daniel and they were now running up to 4000 ewes all of which they intended to join to Merinos to set up for the time when it rained again.
He bought 11 rams and along with Nigel Moffat, Moonyoonooka, who bought seven for up to $1700; AJS Hulme & Co, Ajana, who bought four for up to $1800 (2); and Ninan Farm, Wongan Hills, who bought seven for up to $1500 accounted for most of the Sandhurst team.
The Gill family was the only stud to record a jump in average prices and finished with a solid $1167 average, up $78 on the $1089 achieved last year.
The absence of some past clients left Allaneena principals Alby and Bridget Pullella and Mary Ash, with rams to take home.
Seven of the 12 Polls offered had a regulation March shearing and displayed bright sappy wools with stalwart Don Nairn, East Binnu, paying $1100 and $600 for two rams.
A third ram with an April shearing date was sold to Tom Otley, Northampton, for $500 but the rest of the 12-ram team was unsold.
It was a reversal of fortunes Allaneena that had a solid 2018 sale when 10 rams averaged $950 but this year posted $733 for the three sold.
Poll Dorset
The sale finished with a small but tidy draft of 14 Poll Dorset rams presented by Terry Frank's local stud Kainga.
Demand was good with only two rams failing to sell at auction but values declined as several annual buyers opted to focus on multiplying their core Merino flocks.
Dave Williams, Moascar Farming, Walkaway, set the $1200 top and bought three of the first four rams paying $900 and $800 for others.
The rest of the offering was firmly in buyers' favour, fetching values in the $600-$900 range.
The main buyers were DV & ME Simpson, Northampton, who bought four and AJS Hulme, who bought three.
Consequently, the $750 average for the 12 rams sold was down from the $1000 achieved last year.
