A TOP quality catalogue of Merino and Poll Merino rams and loyal buying support again combined to ensure it was another big result at the Angeneup stud's 43rd annual on-property ram sale at Kojonup last week where prices hit a $7500 high for a Poll Merino.
Once again it was a very even and quality line-up of 240 rams, which was presented by the Norrish family, with all the rams displaying the rich, white wools and constitutions the Angenup brand is renowned for.
Right from the opening call the 39 registered buyers from as far away as Corrigin in the east and Karridale in the west, showed strong support for the line-up and this support continued right to the last ram.
As result of this solid buying support under the control of the Elders auctioneer tag team of Nathan King and James Culleton, the Norrish family cleared 232 of the 240 rams offered at an average of $1802 and a gross of more than $400,000 to be among the biggest individual ram sales in WA this year.
Like other sales this year, the stud's average was back $331 and the number of rams sold was down 14 head compared to 2019 but the Norrish family had expected this and were more than pleased with this year's results.
Last year the stud offered 250 rams and sold 246 under the hammer for an average of $2133.
Broken down, 165 of 173 Merino rams sold under the hammer for an $1832 average, back $241 on last year's sale when 186 Merinos sold from 190 offered at an average of $2073, while there was a total clearance of the 67 Poll Merinos offered and these sold to a $1730 average, back from $2320 last year when 60 head were offered and sold.
Like previous Angenup sales, the top-end of the market was again strong and attracted strong bidding from commercial producers seen only at a few WA sales this year, but there were buyers still able to fill orders at values between $700 and $1000 later in the sale when the heat came off.
Mr King said overall it was a very solid sale and for such a large offering it was a very pleasing result.
"It was a really solid and even sale from start to finish, which was well supported by long-term clients and a couple of new buyers," Mr King said.
"The clearance was excellent with only a handful of rams passed in right towards the end of the sale.
"The stud was prepared to meet the market and this allowed clients to go home with all their requirements.
"Once again the support at the top end of the sale, especially on the first run was fantastic and this is recognition for the efforts the Norrish family go to with their presentation and breeding program.
"The line-up of rams was very even throughout and they were typical Angenup types with good white wools and good shaped bodies which buyers return year-in and year-out to buy as they are consistently getting good results with the Angenup genetics."
The sale kicked off with a run of 13 March shorn rams which averaged 20.7 micron, 3.6 SD and 99.0 per cent comfort factor (CF) when tested in August before it swung into the stud's May shorn offering which averaged 17.8 microns, 3.7 SD, 99.5pc CF when tested in May.
It was in the run of March shorn rams in the front row that the day's $7500 top price ram was found and the ram wasn't even meant to be in the sale, it was a late replacement for another sire that was injured.
When Mr King stood over the upstanding, long-bodied 115 kilogram Poll Merino in lot seven, buyers kicked into action and it was just a matter of making sure he didn't miss a bid.
In the end it was Elders stud stock representative Kevin Broad, who had the final bid on the ram at $7500 and announced he had purchased it for the Patterson family's Woolkabin stud, Woodanilling, where he classes.
Mr Broad said he and Woolkabin stud consultant Bruce Cameron spotted the ram in the line-up and put a call through to the Pattersons as they believed the ram would fit in well with the Woolkabin breeding program.
"We were attracted by the ram's top quality, rich, medium wool and its very good carcase," Mr Broad said.
"We also liked his genetic background which will match in with the Woolkabin sire battery."
The ram is by a son of Banavie 333, Angenup 33, which was sold by the Norrish family for $15,000 three years ago to the Moorundie stud, Keith, South Australia.
Along with being impressive on the eye, the ram had the wool figures to match it was +1.0 for micron above the March team average, 3.8 SD, 99.1pc CF and it had a 110pc greasy fleece weight (GFW) percentage.
Long-time stud supporter Tom Marshall, TG Marshall, Cranbrook, is a name that always appears at the top-end of the Angenup market and he lived up to expectations again this year, averaging $3533 for a team of six Merino sires which included the sale's $5200 second top-priced and top-priced Merino ram.
Assisted by Nutrien Livestock Kojonup agent Troy Hornby, Mr Marshall, secured lot two, a stylished crimped, well-nourished woolled ram at $5200.
The March shorn 122kg ram, which was from a syndicate mating, had wool figures of +1.4 micron, 3.4 SD, 99.8pc CF and 126pc GFW.
Mr Marshall, who has been buying from the stud for more than 25 years, said he picked the ram out due to its top wool quality and good structure.
"I like everything about the Angenup sheep," Mr Marshall said.
"They are well-grown, have good frames and above average wool quality and wool quantity.
"Our wool always sells for top prices.
"The Norrish family is also very good to deal with."
Along with securing the top-priced Merino ram, he also went to $3800 for a 126kg March shorn ram with a -1.4 micron measurement and a 100pc CF and $3700 for a 124kg March shorn sire with a -1.9 micron figure and a 99.9pc CF.
Mr Marshall said Merinos had been running on the Cranbrook property since 1909 when his father Fredrick John Marshall took up the farm.
This year Mr Marshall is aiming to join 3000 ewes all to Merino rams.
A highlight of the sale was again a band of loyal clients that put together large teams of rams and weren't afraid to bid up when purchasing.
Heading this charge were the sale's most prominent buyers Ben and George Fowler, Congeling Park Grazing Co, Williams, who amassed a team of 33 rams (24 Merinos and nine Polls) at an average of $2106.
Despite their significant ram requirements, bid to a top of $3200 for two May shorn Merino rams which had wool figures of -0.2 micron from the May team average, 3.4 SD and 99.8pc CF and -2.1 micron, 2.7 SD and 100pc CF.
This year represented the Fowlers 18th year of buying from the stud and George Fowler said they continue to return and buy from the stud because they like the consistency and productivity of the Angenup sheep.
"They have good fine-medium wools and do well in our area," Mr Fowler said.
The Fowlers run a large Merino flock over properties at Williams and Boyup Brook which are joined to both Merino rams and White Suffolk sires.
Long-term Williams buyers Patrick and Helen Williamson, who have been buying from the stud since 1987, also operated strongly throughout the sale.
They finished with a team of 15 Merino rams at an average of $2313 and to a top of $3800 paid for a 111kg May shorn ram with wool figures of +1.5 micron, 4.0 SD and 98pc CF.
The Williamson, who like the Angenup bloodline for its wool quality and cut, said their flock averaged 20 micron and they aim for a wool cut of more than 60kg a hectare, which they will get this year.
Long term, local Kojonup client Rob Leusciatti, who will this year join 4500 ewes to Merinos rams, was also a force in the sale purchasing 12 Merino rams to a top of $2700 and an average of $2208.
Mr Leusciatti said the Angenup sheep suited the area extremely well and he gets good rewards for his stock.
"We just sold our surplus ewe hoggets for $170 to a local buyer while our wether hoggets sold for $115 bare shorn on-farm this month," Mr Leusciatti said.
The operation has just shorn its hoggets and their wool averaged 17.5 micron and 72pc yield.
Other buyers who put together double figure teams included Ferncourt Enterprises, York, that purchased eight Merinos and four Polls at a $1242 average through Elders stud stock representative Russell McKay, while Twin Oaks Farming, Wandering, averaged $1992 across a team of 10 Merinos and two Polls and JE Kelly & Co, Kojonup, finished with 10 Merinos at a $1750 average.
There were another three buyers also in this category Blackwood Grazing, Karridale, which finished with six Merinos and four Polls at a $1530 average, JA & C Scolari, Kojonup collected seven Merinos and five Polls for a $1083 average and Scolari Farms, Kojonup, averaged $800 over nine Merinos and one Poll.
