AN outstanding catalogue of rams and loyal buying support combined for another massive result at the Angenup stud's 42nd annual on-property ram sale at Kojonup last week.
The Norrish family and the Elders selling team sold 246 Merino and Poll Merino rams to gross more than half a million dollars to be among the biggest individual ram sales in Western Australia.
And despite a strong overall average of $2133, values continued a slight correction from the record heights of recent years.
The family were aware of some reduced requirements among their client base on the back of seasonal conditions, but opted to offer the same increased number of rams from last year's sale.
The even quality line up of 250 Merino and Poll Merino rams displayed the rich white wools and constitution the Angenup brand is renowned for and was consistent through to the final lot.
And while the top-end of the market attracts a level of bidding from commercial producers seen only at a few WA sales, reduced demand in the second half of the sale opened the door to buyers of all budgets to fill their requirements with a significant number of rams selling at good value for money from $700 to $1500.
And with only modest top prices to $5000, the averages accurately reflected the sale.
This saw the sale's overall average back $523 on last year's result, where a total clearance of 250 rams averaged $2656.
Broken down, 186 of 190 Merino rams sold under the hammer to average $2073, back $600 on last year's sale where all 181 rams sold to average $2673 and a total clearance of 60 Poll rams to average $2320 was down $293 from last year where 69 rams sold to average $2613.
Elders Kojonup agent Jamie Hart said the presentation of the rams and the sale result was a credit to the Norrish family.
"It was one of the heaviest line-ups of rams, in both bodyweight and wool cut, I have seen at Angenup in the 11 years I have been working with the Norrish family," he said.
"The importance in today's market for carcase, high fleece weight and wool quality was reflected in the Angenup sheep and in the sale result.
"Given the season and to almost have a complete clearance of 250 rams shows the depth in the buying support at the sale."
Paying top dollar at this year's sale was brothers Richard and Mark Schinzig, JR & G Schinzig & Sons, Moodiarrup, for the team leading Poll ram penned in lot five of the sale.
The March shorn, paddock run ET bred ram by Banavie 333 and an elite Angenup ewe weighed 115 kilograms and tested -1.1 per cent micron against the sale team average, 3.7 SD and 98.5pc comfort factor (CF).
The Schinzigs later added another March shorn Merino ram penned in lot 13 for $4200 to their account with the 122kg ram displaying wool tests of +0.4pc micron, 3.1 SD and 99.1pc CF.
The family have been sourcing sires from Angenup for the past six years to use in a nucleus of ewes to breed their own flock rams.
The brothers highlighted the quality of the Angenup wools and said it was important for them to select for bold crimping white wool in their region while they also emphasise carcase in their selections.
They said they have added more wool cut to their sheep while a large percentage of their wether lambs were turned off at six months of age this year.
Long-time Angenup supporter Tom Marshall is a familiar name at the top-end of the Angenup market and lived up to expectation this year when he averaged more than $4000 for the three team leading March shorn Merino rams.
Assisted by Landmark Kojonup agent Troy Hornby, Mr Marshall paid the sale's $4400 second top price for lot one containing a 123kg ET bred ram by Charinga 200 with wool tests of -0.8pc micron, 3.4 SD and 99.4pc CF.
The rams are set to join Mr Marshall's nucleus ewes to produce their own top replacement ewes and flock rams for their commercial Merino flock at his Tunney property, north of Cranbrook.
Returning this year was Angenup's loyal band of clients that string big teams of rams together with a number of these buyers not afraid to bid to $4000 for their selections.
Heading this charge was the sale's most prominent buyer Ben Fowler, Congeling Park Grazing Company, Williams, who amassed a team of 53 rams (41 Merino and 12 Poll Merino) at the sale.
Despite his significant ram requirements, the 17-year Angenup client bid to a top price of $4000 and averaged $2462 across his selections.
Rob Leusciatti, M & L Leusciatti, Kojonup, tallied 16 Merino rams paying from $700 to a top of $3400 on three occasions to average $2425.
Mr Leusciatti said being a local stud and producing sheep with wool cut and size kept them coming back every year.
"The Angenup sheep are bred in our environment so why not buy local, what works well here will work well at home," he said.
Mr Leusciatti's family is one of the Angenup's original stud clients so it was fitting he purchased the charity ram for $2000 where all proceeds were donated to Lifeline.
Elders matched the amount and also donated $2000 to the organisation which provides personal crisis support and suicide prevention services to all Australians.
Other long-time Angenup clients Patrick and Helen Williamson, PH & HG Williamson, Williams, also collected 16 rams at the sale, operating from $1000 to a top of $3700 for three rams and averaged $2688 for their team.
Robert Melchiorre, Melchiorre Farms, Narrogin, operated at the top of the market for their selections spending to $4100 and averaging $3356 for nine Merino rams.
Return buyers the Emin family, Ferncourt Enterprises, York, represented by Russell McKay, Elders stud stock, purchased 17 rams (14 Merino and three Polls) paying from $700 to $2200, while JA & C Scolari, Kojonup, bought 13 Merino rams paying from $800 to $2200.
Other accounts to reach double figures included JE Kelly & Co, Kojonup and RA & MA Wright, Jingalup, paying from $800 to $2200 for 11 Merino rams and $800 to $2000 for 11 Poll Merino rams respectively.
Finishing the sale with 10 rams was C & KA Tomlinson, Tenterden, Blackwood Grazing, Karridale and Twin Oaks Farming Company, Wandering.
