NEPOWIE Poll Merino ram sale was another memorable event when averages leapt by $377 on last year and eclipsed 2019's scorcher by $258 at Nomans Lake on September 21.
This year the sale averaged $1982 and left the shed bare as sustained bidding evened out the buying pressure from start to finish.
The modest $7000 top price was well down on last year's $10,200, but it was the later stages that ensured there were no bargain basement prices for the savvy shoppers who last year stocked up in a weaker market.
Top price buyers Alan and Phil Bear, Moonijin stud, Dowerin, had been losing bidders on last year's top price ram and returned this year to buy from the Gunallo 170295 family.
Joint studmaster Blake White said the bloodline has been extremely successful since it was introduced bringing early maturity and a big back-end, coupled with better fleece weights from denser, deeper and bolder crimping wool.
Moonijin has been based on Nepowie since the 1970s and spokesman Phil Bear said they usually bought a new sire every year.
They run a 500-head nucleus flock to provide rams for their 1500 commercial ewes and normally expected a lambing percentage in the 110-115 percent range, but reported a 123pc lambing in this year's favourable season.
Mr Bear paid tribute to Nepowie's breeding directions saying they had inherently good fertility that could be attributed to their plainer body type.
They selected their ram based on size and wool style but with an increased amount of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) information available, their decision was backed with good Dual Purpose (DP+) and Maternal (MP+) indices showing 160.06 and 163.8 respectively.
The ram also was in the top 5pc of the Australian flock average with a +32.69pc for yearling clean fleece weight.
It also showed figures of +4.7 for yearling weight, +0.1 millimetres for yearling fat with raw data measurements of 108.5 kilograms body weight (the heaviest in the sale), 19.2 microns with a 4.0 standard deviation (SD).
The sale offered and sold 238 rams with almost all sheep carrying a set of ASBV figures, though overwhelmingly buyers were prepared to back their own judgment in selection.
The exceptional sale result was greatly aided by seasonal conditions with Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke saying he had expected it to be at least as good as most other recent sales which had all been blessed with the good season.
"Whether you are a lamb or mutton producer - it doesn't matter who you are - people have a lot of confidence at the moment," Mr Clarke said,
"The prices at the top end were not as high (as last year) but this sale was deep."
Mr Clarke said the sheep reflected the season with some really sappy wools that were only achieved with good green feed.
The second top price was $4300 paid by Cowcher Farming, Quindanning, for pen 101, a ram bred in a Glenlea 150881 syndicate.
The enterprise bought for the first-time last year and returned to get four more rams including others at $3700, $2900 and $2000.
A Cowcher Farming spokesman said they were yet to fully assess the first drop of lambs but they were looking good and Nepowie had been an excellent stud to deal with.
The $4200 third highest price was paid by first time buyers MM & MJ Johnston, Boyup Brook, which added extra pressure to the top end of the sale in their quest to buy eight rams.
They bought others at $3300, $2900 and $2500.
A partnership of JR & SM Goodier and Aylesbury stud, Merredin, bought the team leader for $4000 and return buyer Boyagin Valley Farm, Brookton, took prices to $4000 again and paid $3600 and $3000 for other rams to be among the top price payers.
Even before seeing the final figures, Blake White expressed his gratitude and satisfaction with the sale saying he had been very pleased with how the rams presented and client support.
"We are happy with how the quality and consistency is improving," Mr White said.
"We are trying to breed an all-purpose ram for our clients right through WA that will return them the best possible value."
With 470 millimetres of rain this year - well above normal - they also were pleased to see how well their wools handled the heavy rainfall and how well the rams had grown out just running on medic pasture and hay.
This year the buyers list lengthened to 45 registrations with all but two taking home rams.
The sale started with an air of expectation with noted long-term client John Koric, Koranga Farming Co, Dongara, expected to make his presence felt early on.
He and Merino adviser Bill Johnson selected a Gunallo Poll 170295 son with a good set of figures but did not have to battle too hard and bought their single purchase for $3300.
Elders Mingenew representative Ross Tyndale-Powell, who has recently taken over classing client Gavin Elsegood's flock, remained the same formidable bidding opponent as they put together a line of 16 rams bought for a $3800 (2) top.
The number made Mr Elsegood the most prolific buyer at the sale and this year his group averaged $2619 up $66 from $2553 last year.
Among his more expensive rams were sheep at $3700, $3700 and $3100 (2).
HRD Pastoral, Dudinin, spent up to $4100 for the best of seven rams; Morlup Nominees, Yearlering, paid $3400 for a single ram; Nalya Farming Co, Brookton, spent up to $3200 for the best of five and Nepowie neighbour W & G Wilson invested a $3100 top for a team of eight.
Audrey Bird, Windorah Farms, Tincurrin, filled an order for nine rams and said she and son Daniel had trialled sires from a several studs including Nepowie and they both agreed it was the best bloodline for them.
They were now seriously committed and as a farmer who placed great faith in agricultural science and technology, she welcomed the increased amount of ASBV data available at this year's sale.
"These figures are the equivalent of the grain industry's Nation Variety Trials and they have meaning and we use them," Ms Bird said.
She came with a budget but realised she would exceed it after paying around $2000 for most rams.
Another first-time buyer was Brad Pauley, Wickepin, who said he had seriously considered joining his entire ewe flock to White Suffolks this year.
He had been a former Brookdale client and had shopped around buying genetics from Eastern States' studs but found Nepowie had used similar bloodlines to produce the body and wool type he wanted.
Last week he bought five for up to $1900 and had made the decision he would source future sires from Nepowie.
One other client of note was Dare Farming, Dumbleyung, which bought a Nepowie 160104 son that had the colour splashes to denote it was in the high percentile bands for PWT (top 5pc) and YWT (top 10pc).
The ram weighed in at 100.5kg and was bought for $3500.
