THREE rams selling for more than $10,000 and a total clearance of 150 head for a healthy $2129 average were highlights of a strong sale at East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock recently.
In recent years the stud has eked out one of the strongest followings for sheep genetics in Australia and the 2020 line-up of 90 Poll Merino and 60 Merino two-tooth rams showed why.
The evenness of the team for size, bone, structural correctness and meaty body types, coupled with soft well defined wools on a good skin and powerful, sirey heads was a credit to the Gooding and Robinson families.
Their ability to keep finding new bloodlines with the right balance of industry relevant traits in rams prepared well, but not overdone laid the foundations for last week's result and was reflected in bodyweights of up to 132kg, eye muscle depths of up to 43.5mm and comfort factors predominantly in the high 90s to 100 per cent.
More than that, it is the predictability of East Mundalla genetics, which continue to excel in a diverse range of environments and breeding programs across Australia and internationally that drives greatest demand and saw numerous repeat stud and commercial buyers operating including several from New South Wales bidding by phone.
As a result there were a few State-to-State bidding duels which pushed prices to the day's top of $12,000 for a Merino and $11,250 for a Poll Merino.
This was back on last year when the top price was $15,750 for a Poll Merino and the overall average was also back from $2171 to $2129, despite offering 50 less rams than last year.
But given the less than ordinary seasonal conditions prevailing locally and wool's downward swing, there could have been even greater disparity to 2019.
And worth noting if the stud's $33,000 Poll Merino sold at the Katanning Sheep Expo & Ram Sale a month ago was added to the mix, its average would be $2333 for 151 rams sold.
With Elders auctioneer Nathan King calling the shots it was long time regulars and Merino fanciers Colin and Marc Ball, Dongolocking Farming, Dumbleyung, who eventually won the $12,000 Merino bidding battle against Tim Spicer, Elders stud stock, operating on the phone for Nigel Brumpton, Mt Ascot stud, Queensland.
Standing in pen 22, the April drop ram was the second Merino offered and part of the first progeny drop from new season sire East Mundalla Big Boy 2.
By Imperial 22 and out of a Jonty daughter, Big Boy 2 was judged junior champion Merino ram at the 2018 Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show, Victoria, and is clearly replicating its winning style with three of the day's four top-priced rams sired by it.
The Balls, who run 2500 Merino ewes, will use the new bloodline 116kg sire which tested 21.3 micron, 3.5 SD, 16.5 CV, 99.3pc CF, 39mm EMD and 4.9mm fat to breed rams for their own use.
"We were looking for a dual purpose type and this ram had the depth and length of body that we like and really stylish sirey wool," Colin Ball said.
Other April drop Big Boy 2 sons penned immediately before and immediately after the sale topper captured the day's third and fourth top prices at $10,250 and $9000 respectively.
First in to the buying action was return purchaser Michael Hedger, MAF & KL Hedger, Snowy Plain stud, Cooma, New South Wales, again operating by phone, who secured a 121kg lad which tested 19.5 micron, 3.4 SD, 17.3 CV, 99.7pc CF, 39mm EMD and 5.7mm fat.
The Hedgers had purchased an East Mundalla Poll Merino, Slipper 15, for $57,000 three years ago and also added to their polled sire battery buying two Polls earlier in the catalogue.
The third Big Boy 2 Merino son offered in the line-up went the way of sale regulars PB & J Davidson, Tincurrin, whose $9000 purchase weighed 123kg and tested 21.9 micron, 4.2 SD, 19.2 CV, 99pc CF, 38.5mm EMD and 6.6mm fat.
The day's second top price overall was achieved in the Poll section of the catalogue at pen three when Ross Ditchburn, Golden Hill stud, Kukerin, outlasted fellow stud breeder Jarrod King, Warralea stud, Gairdner, with a winning $11,250 bid.
Barely able to fit in his pen, the son of Masterbuilt 53, the sire bought for $46,000 at the Collinsville on-property sale two years ago, weighed 125kg and tested at 22.2 micron, 3.6 SD, 16.4 CV, 98.8pc CF, 40mm EMD and 6.9mm fat.
Mr Ditchburn said they had been buying from East Mundalla for about 20 years and where previously they focussed largely on wool quality, this year the emphasis was more on body size, structure and constitution.
"This ram had a great body, very square and very structurally correct," Mr Ditchburn said.
"I thought Masterbuilt was the predominant family in the shed and it's a new bloodline for us."
Mr Ditchburn said the ram would be used in a syndicate mating with a Masterbuilt 64 son bought for $2600 later in the catalogue.
Other stud breeders sourcing East Mundalla polled genetics included Scott Crosby, St Quentin, Nyabing, who having missed out on the $33,000 Masterbuilt 53 son at Katanning, paid $4500 for the first ram of the day, an ET son of Universal 89 still showing lamb's teeth, which appealed for its gutsy, bold crimping wool.
Adrian Webster, Kylie stud, Popanyinning bought three rams, including the second top priced Poll, a son of Masterbuilt 53 for $4800, while Richard Chadwick, Darijon, bought two by Oakbank 17 and Dan 6.
Heading the volume buyer's list were long-time regulars IF & FJ Lloyd, Newdegate, with 14 rams and MJ & PA Nicholls, Lake King, with 10, the same number as first-timer Noonan Bros, Katanning, operating through Russell McKay, Elders stud stock while repeat buyer EDL Farms, Newdegate, finished with nine rams.
Speaking after the sale Nathan King said buyers, predominantly loyal regulars, showed their willingness to bid to good values on what was a very even team.
"East Mundalla sheep are renowned for being well grown, heavy wool cutters which is important in the current climate," Mr King said.
"While horned rams have been the bread and butter here, we are seeing increasing depth in the Polls and that was acknowledged by buyers today."
East Mundalla stud co-principal Daniel Gooding said he rated it as one of their better sales given the trying seasonal conditions running sheep in the Wheatbelt in the past couple of years.
"We had buyers that didn't really need rams but turned up to show support and get a couple which was great and it is always nice to have some repeat support from the Eastern States, plus a few new buyers from both WA and interstate.
"As it turned out we could have offered a few more rams," Mr Gooding said.
