BIDDERS were spoilt for options at the annual Wanjalonar and Cheetara ram sale at Narembeen, with the two studs combining to put up an attractive offering of Merino, Poll Merino, White Suffolk, Poll Dorsets and Suffolk rams for buyers to choose from.
The sale drew a good crowd including 41 registered bidders.
This year's sale hosts, the Hooper family, Wanjalonar stud put up a total of 75 Merino and Poll Merino rams and sold 46 under the hammer for an average of $837, which was back on last year's average of $945 when the stud sold 64 from 79 offered.
Nick and Gina Cheetham's Cheetara stud offering totalled 161 rams, representing the White Suffolk, Suffolk and Poll Dorset breeds and by the end of their run had cleared 152 under the hammer for an average of $986.
These figures meant the Cheetara sale average was down on its 2019 average of $1123 when it cleared 125 of 138 offered.
The Cheetara stud achieved the highest average of the two vendors and once again claimed top price honours when one of its White Suffolk rams sparked buyer competition before being knocked down at $3600.
The ram was purchased by return buyer Brendan Maher, Rockdale Farming Co, Muntadgin, at the day's top price.
The Depta Grove (170559) sired ram was July born and had scan results of 45.5mm eye muscle depth and 5.1mm of fat.
Mr Maher also purchased the top-priced Cheetara ram at last year's sale for $4100.
"It fits the profile for our operation and their genetics produce lambs with good depth" Mr Maher said.
"The size of the eye muscle was also an important factor."
Along with the top-priced ram, Mr Maher went on to secure another six White Suffolk rams for a total of seven averaging $2157.
EL Dixon and son, Narembeen, were the biggest buyers picking up 20 White Suffolk rams at a high of $1600 and an average of $955.
Altek Farms, Muntadgin, weren't too far behind, purchasing a team of 13 rams for an average of $1158.
In the Cheetara Poll Dorset portion of the sale it was Clint Butler, KS & S Butler, South Kumminin who purchased the top price ram at $1500.
The June-drop ram is sired by a Tipperary sire and had scans of 44.5mm EMD and 3.7mm fat.
SD & MT Lucchesi, Kulin, secured five rams at an average of $890 and LE & M Farino & Co, also bought five at an average of $810 to be equal volume buyers of the Poll Dorset section of the sale.
In the Cheetara Suffolk section of the sale, 22 of 27 offered sold to a top of $1100 paid by Jake Cole, Colestan Trust, Narembeen.
The ram was an August drop by Sayla Park (170080) with scan results of 43mm EMD and 6.3mm fat.
"It was a good size, had good fat and was a nice looking ram overall," Mr Cole said
The Coles have 500 Merino breeding ewes which are crossed with suffolks.
Mr Cole went on to buy another four rams for a total of five at an average of $850.
Also showing interest in the Suffolk rams was RR Miller, Narembeen, who secured six rams at a top of $650 and an average of $617.
Elders auctioneer Steele Hathway said it was an excellent sale with all but nine rams being sold under the hammer.
"The rams were presented to above expectations and were a great quality line-up which was reflected in the prices and clearance," Mr Hathway said.
Cheetara stud principal Nick Cheetham said he was very happy with the clearance and the support from buyers.
"We want to thank all the bidders and underbidders for purchasing our rams," Mr Cheetham said.
When it came to the offering of Merino and Poll Merino rams from Wanjalonar, the top price of $1500 was reached three times.
Prices peaked early when the Merino ram in lot three was first to reach the $1500 mark and was paid by Elders Merredin.
The ram had wool figures of 18.6 micron, 2.5 SD, 13.6 coefficient variation and 100 per cent comfort factor.
The sale's top of $1500 was achieved again for the Merino ram in lot five which had wool results of 20.9 micron, 2.8 SD, 13.6 CV and 99.2 CF and was also paid by Elders Merredin.
Two more rams were purchased by Elders Merredin for a total of four, averaging $1425.
Clint Butler, K & S Butler, South Kumminin, also paid the top of $1500 for a Poll Merino.
This ram had wool test figures of 19.4 micron, 3.4 SD, 17.3 CV and 99.6pc CF.
Mr Butler said he liked this ram in particular because it was deep in the barrel and had a thick hindquarter.
The Butlers run 1000 head of breeding ewes, with 600 of the ewes are mated to crossbreds and 400 mated to Merinos.
The Butlers use three different breeds to cross with his Merino ewes, including Poll Dorsets, White Suffolks and Black Suffolks.
Mr Butler purchased one other ram to end the day with Wanjalonar Poll Merinos at an average of $1350.
Local buyers GB Draper, Narembeen and JF Fridge, Narembeen, both secured seven rams each, averaging $864 and $621.
Wanjalonar stud classer and Elders stud stock representative Kevin Broad said the rams were very well presented, but a lack of buying competition due a high number of ewes leaving the area, meant that the clearance was lower than they had hoped for.
"The quality of the offering was excellent, but there were a few clients missing which had an impact," Mr Broad said.
Mr Hathway said it was a reasonable sale, with a good line-up of rams offered, but the result reflected the market with producers in the area having sold a lot of their ewes.
Wanjalonar stud principal Derek Hooper said the sale went as well as expected, especially with some regular clients having sold their ewes and not requiring rams this year.
The Hoopers managed to sell a further nine rams after the sale to improve their clearance.
