RETURNING clients showed their support for the Shepherd family's Leween Poll Dorset stud, Narrogin, achieving 100 per cent clearance at their annual ram sale held at the Hall family's property at Kendenup.
Immediately after the Monte Verde sale, Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Charlie Staite was powering through the Leween offering of 46 Poll Dorset rams.
Although there was only a small gathering of bidders, all 46 rams were sold under the hammer, with one additional ram being sold after the sale.
Mr Staite said the Shepherd family presented a very consistent and even line-up of Poll Dorset rams and they sold well achieving a total clearance.
The rams were offered in pairs giving buyers the option to purchase the individual ram or the two.
Despite a slightly smaller offering than last year, the sales gross of $44,850 exceeded last year's gross of $44,050.
This year's sale average of $975 was up by $76 and the top price was $150 higher than in 2019.
The $1350 top-priced ram was purchased by return buyer Loris Wilson, NR & LP Wilson, Mt Barker and was for a ram weighing 107kg with test figures of 0.20 BWT, 6.4 WWT, 9.19 PWT, 0.1 PFAT, 0.8 PEMD.
Loris Wilson said the ram was nice and long and had good figures.
"Overall it was a very nice ram," Ms Wilson said.
Ms Wilson purchased the second-highest number of rams with a total of 13 rams averaging $915.
The sale's second top price of $1200 was achieved six times by three bidders.
SJ, SL & FK Hall, Monte Verde, Tenterden, were the first to bid $1200 and paid it twice for lots one and two having taken advantage of the bidding in pairs auction system.
The first ram had figures of 0.23 BWT, 7 WWT, 10.19 PWT, -0.8 PFAT and 1.0 PEMD, while the second had results of 0.23 BWT, 7.09 WWT, 10.30 PWT, -1.39 PFAT and 0 PEMD.
The Hall family was a strong supporter of the sale, purchasing a total of 14 rams to be the volume buyers and averaged $1014.
It was then lot 23 and 24 that made the $1200 second top price and was paid by AB & KA Parsons, Tenterden.
The lot 23 ram had LampPlan ASBVs of 0.08 BWT, 5.5 WWT, 7.9 PWT, -0.59 PFAT, 1.5 PEMD and weighed in at 95kg.
Test results for the lot 24 ram were 0.22 BWT, 7 WWT, 10.6 PWT, -1.1 PFAT, 1.10 PEMD and weighed 94.5kg.
The Parsons picked up a total of five rams averaging $1010.
Pardee Grazing Co, Kendenup, quickly followed suit also paying $1200 for a pair of rams in lots 25 and 26.
LambPlan results for the lot 25 ram were 0.33 BWT, 8.9 WWT, 13 PWT, -0.9 PFAT, 16 PEMD and weighed 108.5kg and the ram in lot 26 had figures of 0.19 BWT, 6.5 WWT, 9.4 PWT, -0.8 PFAT, 1.1 PEMD and weighed 101kg.
By the sale's end, Pardee Grazing Co had also secured five rams for an average of $1120.
After the sale, a 47th ram was sold to MA & CJ Cavanagh, Tenterden, for $500.
WG Wright & Co, Mt Barker, bought five rams paying a high of $1050 (2) and averaged $940.
The last bidder to purchase was Rocklee Farms, Mt Barker, buying four to average $850.
The result meant that the entire offering was cleared by just six buyers from the local area and were all returning clients.
Tim Shepherd said he was extremely happy with the result and was thankful to all their return clients.
"We really appreciated the continued support of all our regular buyers," Mr Shepherd said.
"Some of our clients have been purchasing from us for 30 years and we wanted to thank them for coming and buying rams each year," he said.
