GREATER buying support influenced significantly improved clearances and values at the Edmonds family's combined on-property ram sale at Calingiri earlier this month.
Brothers Ray Edmonds, Rhamily stud and Bruce Edmonds, Glen-Byrne stud, offered a quality catalogue of 170 big-bodied, white Wheatbelt woolled Poll Merino rams, highlighted by the evenness and depth through the sale team.
A number of buyers missing from last year's sale, due to challenging seasonal conditions, returned this year to join the studs' loyal band of long-time followers and a couple of fresh faces at the sale.
Commercial buyers competed strongly on their selections through to the final lot, reflecting the depth in the line-up of Poll Merino rams and current confidence in the sheep industry on the back of widespread favourable seasonal conditions and very strong sheep and lamb markets.
This strengthened demand drove all sale indicators northward to deliver the Edmonds family's a pleasing result.
At the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock selling team had sold 164 Rhamily and Glen-Byrne Poll Merino rams at auction (94 per cent) for a combined average of $1621.
This showed a $332 jump in the sale's collective average and an additional clearance of 33 rams sold compared to last year's sale where 131 of 160 rams (82pc) sold under the hammer to average $1289.
Nutrien Livestock sale auctioneer and the Edmonds brothers' livestock agent Grant Lupton said it was another excellent even catalogue of rams presented by the Edmonds family that sold to stronger buying support.
"While we didn't reach any great heights, it was a very solid sale from the first to the final pen," Mr Lupton said.
"I was really impressed with the quality of the wools and bodies of the rams and the depth of the catalogue gave buyers plenty of selection.
"We had a number of buyers return to the sale this year due to seasonal conditions, a couple of buyers needed bigger volumes of rams and we picked up a couple of new buyers.
"Congratulations to Bruce and Ray on the excellent presentation of rams and the rewarding results."
p Rhamily
The Rhamily stud kicked off proceedings with a team of 85 February and April shorn Poll Merino rams with only the two rams overlooked at auction to post an average of $1801.
This improved the clearance by an additional 18 rams and the average by $320 compared to last year's sale where 65 of 80 rams (81pc) sold under the hammer to average $1431.
Return Rhamily nucleus buyers S & M Sudholz, Yerecoin, outlaid the sale's $3500 equal top price for a new sire.
Penned in lot two, the 121kg ram by Kamballie Bobcat was part of the 18 February shorn prepared rams that opened the Rhamily run.
The big, upstanding and stylish wooled ram displayed wool tests of 21.6 micron, 3.2 SD, 14.9 CV and 99.1 per cent comfort factor (CF) while cutting 6.14 kilograms greasy fleece weight (GFW) at five months old.
Buyer Michael Sudholz said the ram would join a selection of the Lewisdale-Corrigin and Rhamily blood nucleus to produce replacement ewes and flock rams for their 3800 commercial ewe matings.
"He has the wool we are looking for and will go well over what we are producing," Mr Sudholz said.
"Bit longer in the staple and good nourishment in the tip which helps stop the sand and dust getting in."
It took until lot 36 before long-time family client Phil Edmonds, GJ & P Edmonds, Calingiri, bid the other $3500 equal top price for his three Rhamily selections.
The ram, also from the Bobcat family, tested 20.4 micron, 16.2 CV, 3.3 SD and 99.8pc CF and 6.6kg GFW.
Original stud clients King Farming Pty Ltd, Calingiri, invested in large numbers annually and always prepared to compete at the top end of the market for their selections.
This proved the case again this year with the King family collecting a team of 11 Rhamily rams costing from $1000 to the sale's equal $3400 second top price paid deep in the catalogue in lot 50.
The Kings also paid $3200 early in the sale for a February shorn ram by Old Ashrose Will, displaying wool tests of 21.5 micron, 13 CV, 2.8 SD and 99.9pc CF.
Fellow consistent top-end buyer at the sale Corondeen Spring Poll Merino stud, Calingiri, sourced two new Rhamily sires for $3400 each.
The first was a February shorn Old Ashrose bred ram in lot 10 with tests of 20.1 micron, 15.4 CV, 3.1 SD and 99.9pc CF while the second ram came early in the April shorn run, a Rhamily Ted bred ram testing 21.1 micron, 14.7 CV, 3.1 SD and 99.7pc CF.
Long-time buyers the Glass family, Fenwick Farms Suffolk and White Suffolk studs, Calingiri, built a team of 12 Rhamily rams costing from $1200 to $3000 for a strong average of $2350.
They paid their $3000 top price on three occasions for sons of Bobcat, Will and Manunda Jacko.
Return Wubin graziers PG & PM Nankivell was the sale's equal volume buyer with a haul of 14 Rhamily rams operating at all values between $900 and $2900.
Sale client of 20-years SF Chester & Co, Goomalling, purchased nine Rhamily rams mostly at good value for money from $800 to $1900 and one Glen-Byrne ram.
Return buyers LM Dennis & Co, Miling, also operated at value for their six Rhamily rams which included one of the overlooked rams, while fellow annual buyers C & DJ Stickland, Mungatta Murray Grey stud, Wongan Hills, bid to $2800 twice in their team of five Rhamily rams and two Glen-Byrne rams.
p Glen-Byrne
The Glen-Byrne stud's team of 85 Poll Merino rams followed the opening run of Rhamily rams and while prices only reached modest highs, buyers were consistent throughout to significantly improve results from last year.
At auction 81 rams were sold (95pc) for an average of $1437 which yielded a jump in clearance of 22 rams and a $314 spike in average compared to last year's sale where 59 of 72 Glen-Byrne rams (82pc) sold under the hammer to average $1123.
Bruce Edmonds donated the proceeds of what is likely to be the final Merino ram offered at the sale after the phasing out of the Mannalea stud, to the relief efforts of those affected by Cyclone Seroja.
Phil Edmonds continued his strong buying into the Glen-Byrne line-up where he finished with four rams which included the stud's $2800 top and $2700 second top prices.
The top price was paid for lot two, one of 19 February shorn prepared rams to open the Glen-Byrne run.
The ram was by sons of Banavie 333 and tested 20.1 micron, 16.9 CV, 3.4 SD and 99.9pc CF, while the $2700 price was paid for the fifth April shorn ram offered from the Rhamily Ted family with tests of 18.7 micron, 15 CV, 2.8 SD and 99.9pc CF.
Mr Edmonds said they would join 1900 Merino ewes to lamb from mid-April to May.
He said the depth of wool quality was even throughout the sale with plenty of selection available for what he looked for.
"Chasing the longer stapled freeer growing white wool with well-defined crimp for an easy care sheep and avoid any fly worries with the rain," Mr Edmonds said.
The McPherson family, Newhome Farms Pty Ltd, Moora, is among Glen-Byrne's longest supporting clients of 46 years and returned to collect eight rams paying to a $2600 top price for their final selection in lot 110 containing a Banavie 333 family bred ram testing 19.9 micron, 17.1 CV, 3.4 SD and 99.8pc CF.
The most influential buyer of the Glen-Byrne team was Mareeba Farms, Ballidu, with an equal sale high haul of 14 rams costing all values from $1100 to $1900.
ES Dadd & Co, Shackleton and JF & DG Edmonds, Bolgart, collected six Glen-Byrne rams each, while N & MJ Cooper, Wongan Hills, CH & CA Glass, Bindoon and M & S Tighe, Clackline, finished with five rams each.