BIG robust rams with plenty of wool cutting ability again greeted buyers when they rolled up at this year's Woolkabin on-property Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Woodanilling.
Like past years, a long list of return buyers and a couple of new ones attended, willing to outlay top dollar for fresh genetics from the Patterson family and in the process they pushed prices to a high of $8750 for a Poll Merino sire.
Right from the opening run, the 38 registered buyers from as far north as Geraldton, south to Green Range and east to Southern Cross, were solid in their bidding, ensuring the stud achieved full clearance and a jump in average of $124 from last year.
When the final ram was knocked down by Elders auctioneer Nathan King, the stud had offered and sold 173 to 35 different buyers for an average of $2038.
In comparison to last year's sale, the stud offered and sold 213 rams for an average of $1914.
In the breakdown, the stud offered and sold 139 Poll Merinos at an average of $2112 (up $161 on last year), while the Merino side of the catalogue saw all 34 rams cleared for an average of $1735 (down $18 on 2019).
Elders stud stock representative and Woolkabin classer Kevin Broad said he was extremely happy with the final sale result.
"It was a solid sale and we are very happy to achieve a total clearance given the hard seasonal and market conditions," Mr Broad said.
"The sale was well supported by regular clients who have supported the stud for many years and are achieving good results with the genetics.
"The final result was a great reward for the Patterson family, who presented a great line-up of rams from beginning to end.
"I was very impressed by the presentation of rams, they were well-grown, dual-purpose top commercial rams with good white wools."
The strong sale result was set up early with the first run of 31 March shorn Poll Merino rams offered, selling for an average $3903.
And it was in this run that the sale's $8750 sale topper was found when the stud's team leader went under the hammer.
Mr King took an opening bid of $5000 on the Manunda 171310 son and the price quickly rose after a number of interested buyers threw in bids.
In the end it was repeat buyers George, Wes and Rowan Lavender, GE & NA Lavender, Williams, who had the final bid at $8750 on the upstanding, square ram.
Mr Broad, who classes for the Lavenders, said Wes picked the ram out at the Narrogin Long Wool Day and was impressed with its style and size.
"He is a good stud sire type with a nourished, rich crimpy wool," Mr Broad said.
"He has a tremendous fleece and also very good size and structure.
"He will fit very well into the Lavender's breeding program."
When it came to its wool and carcase figures, the 109 kilogram ram measured 22.8 micron, 3.6 SD, 15.9 CV and 97.2 per cent comfort factor in the wool, while it had scans of 5.4mm fat and 37.5mm eye muscle depth (EMD).
It has MerinoSelect figures of 15.69 yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW), -0.5 yearling fat (YFAT), -0.5 yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD), 2.5 yearling weight (YWT), as well as indexes of 139.5 for the MP+ and 133.69 for DP+.
The ram will join another Woolkabin sire purchased by the Lavenders two years ago and will be used in their nucleus flock to breed rams for their own use.
Missing out on the top-priced ram was repeat stud buyer Bernie Rhodes, TJ & ME Rhodes, Highbury, but Mr Rhodes didn't go home empty handed.
Just four pens later in lot five, he secured the sale's second top-priced ram at $7750.
The well-covered, deep-bodied 116.5kg Poll Merino ram is by Strath-Haddon 11-9 and has wool figures of 21.8 micron, 3.2 SD, 14.8 CV and 98.6pc CF, to go with carcase scans of 7.1mm fat and 39mm EMD.
On MerinoSelect it has indexes of 151.7 for MP+ and 149.66 for DP+ while it is 21.41 for YCFW, 0.1 for YFAT, 0.0 for YEMD and 5.9 for YWT.
Mr Broad, who also classes for Mr Rhodes, said he was chasing a ram for his nucleus breeding flock and this ram fitted the bill in terms of its size and wool quality.
"He is a well-balanced ram with a very good topline and a well-nourished white wool," he said.
The third highest price ram was a 120.5kg March shorn Poll Merino by Manunda 171310 and it sold at $7250 to Calcorp Holdings, Corrigin.
The long-bodied ram measured 20.7 micron, 3.1 SD and 99.2pc CF in the wool and had scans of 4.1mm fat and 41mm EMD, while it had MerinoSelect indexes of 142.1 for MP+ and 141.22 for DP+.
The Corrigin operation also went home with a second Poll Merino measuring 19.3 micron and 99.9pc CF in the wool for $2000.
The best price recorded for a Merino ram was $3900 when return buyers John, Geoff and Jeremy Walker bid to the value for a 112kg March shorn rams by Woolkabin 130169.
Geoff Walker said they picked the ram out because of its nice long, white staple and big frame.
The upstanding, deep-bodied ram was sold with wool test figures of 21.5 micron, 3.4 SD, 15.6 CV and 98.2pc CF along with carcase scans of 5.1mm fat and 38.5mm EMD.
On MerinoSelect it has statistics of 0.0 YCFW, -0.3 YFAT, -0.2 YEMD, 5.0 YWT and indexes of 14.28 DP+ and 149.6 MP+.
Along with securing the top-priced Merino ram in the sale, the Walkers also purchased another eight Merino sires and two Poll Merinos to take home a trailer load of 11 rams at an average of $2473.
The Walkers this year are aiming to join 4500 ewes to Merinos along with 3500 Merino ewes to White Suffolk rams.
Jeremy said the family liked the Woolkabin sheep because they have good, plain bodies and good white wools to suit the South Coast environment they farm in.
When it came to the volume buyer stakes, it was long-term client Rod Turpin, Julstroy Farm, Lake King, who appeared on the clerking sheets the most.
Mr Turpin finished the day with a team of 23 Poll Merinos and he wasn't afraid to bid up on the rams he really wanted.
By the end of the sale he had averaged $1898 across his team which topped at $3100 for a Yarrawonga 140961 son which measured 23 micron and 98.4pc CF in the wool.
Mr Turpin said he was chasing a big ram with good staple length and plenty of wool cutting ability.
"I like the Woolkabin sheep because they are big sheep and cut plenty of beautiful, bright, white wool," Mr Turpin said.
This year the Turpins are looking at joining 3600 ewes to Poll Merinos which Mr Turpin said was a few less than normal due to the dry season.
The only other buyer to finish the day with a double-figured team was GW & N Fuchsbichler, Koorda, who bid through Elders stud stock representative Preston Clarke and secured a team of 15 all at $800.
Like many past Woolkabin sales the Howatson Family Trust, Newdegate, had a strong impact on the sale.
This year the Howatsons, who have been buying from the stud for more than 25 years, went home with a team of eight Polls to a top of $3600 and an average of $2925.
The Howatson's team was made up of Manunda 171310 and Woolkabin Supreme 150007 sons.
Darren Howatson said they were chasing big framed rams with bold strong crimps and good wool cutting ability to join their sire battery which will be joined to 2200 ewes this year.
"Normally we join about 2400 ewes but will be back slightly this year due to a lack of feed and water," Mr Howatson said.
Local return buyer Nullawill Trading, Woodanilling, was also a strong supporter of the catalogue, securing eight Polls a top of $2400 and an average of $2188 while Westmere Farming, Williams, purchased six Polls at an average of $2367 and repeat buyers the Harris family, Longview Farm Trust, Katanning, buying through Elders stud stock representative Russell McKay, averaged $1788 across a team of eight Polls.
Other buyers to buy bigger teams included TR & PT Ettridge, Kojonup, who purchased four Polls and four Merinos at a $1478 average, while return buyer of more than 12 years Maurice Shilcock, Pendlebury Farm, Kojonup, averaged $1614 across a team of seven Merino and Poll Merino rams and Brookton-based operation AW & RE Bowring finished with a team of seven Merino and Poll Merinos at an $1100 average.
There were three buyers who bought strongly at the top end paying to a top of $5000 for smaller teams - EP Johnson & Co, Wagin, purchased two rams at a $4625 average, Jomak Trust, Geraldton, averaged $4750 across a team of three and the Elders stud stock account was the home for two at a $4500 average.
