NEW and returning buyers showed their support at the annual on-property Harold Park Dohne ram sale at Coorow earlier this week, pushing prices to a top of $1600.
Once again the Wass family opted for the Helmsman style auction, which saw all of the rams listed on a whiteboard with bidding cards being handed to Elders staff.
This year's offering of 44 Dohne rams was up on the previous year when 36 were for sale.
Under the hammer 35 sold, also up on last year's clearance numbers when 27 sold.
Paying the top price of $1600 was Hakea Farming, Coorow for the lot 10 ram.
It had Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) of 1.5mm eye muscle depth (PEMD), 0.1 mm PFat, 15.1 per cent yearling clean fleece weight (YCFW) and 0.3 um yearling fleece diameter (YFD).
The ram was in the top 10pc of the breed for PEMD and YCFW.
The operation went on to buy two more rams for a team of three, averaging $1217.
A second top-price of $1300 was paid by four different buyers.
The first was by JF Benton & Co, Latham, for a ram with figures of 0.5mm PEMD, -0.2mm PFat, 15.8pc YCFW and -1.2um YFD.
The Bentons went on to purchase two more rams for an overall average of 1183.
Return buyer Ian McRae, IJ & AR McRae, Geraldton, was next to pay $1300 and the ram had figures of 1.3 PEMD, 0.3 PFat, 12.3 YCFW and -0.2um YFD.
Mr McRae bought two more rams for a total of three, averaging $1167.
Lot seven was the next ram to achieve $1300 and was purchased by the Muresk Institute, Muluckine.
The ram had ASBVs of 1.4mm PEMD, 0.4mm PFat, 11.9pc YCFW and 1.4um YFD.
Muresk also secured another ram for $1300 with figures of 1.9mm PEMD, 0.6mm PFat, 9.3pc YCFW and 0.8um YFD.
Two different bidders purchased a team of six rams each.
LR & MJ Smith, Carnamah, paid an average of $983 for six rams, while return buyer Malcolm Just, Latham, paid an average of $908 for six rams, respectively.
Sando WA Pty Ltd, Arrowsmith, averaged $1000 for five rams, while HF Lakeman & Co, Perenjori, purchased four rams at an $850 average.
DP & W Mills, Eneabba, paid an average of $1100 for two rams and Three Amigos Farming, Morawa, paid $950 for one ram.
Elders stud stock representative Graeme Curry said it was a solid sale.
"The overall support from buyers and in particular local buyers was good," Mr Curry said.
"The top-priced ram sold to strong competition.
"In regards to the presentation of the rams, what you saw was what you got, which was appreciated by the buying audience."