A TEAM effort from 35 loyal clients cleared the shed and set a $2032 stud record average at the Nepowie Poll Merino ram sale at Nomans Lake last week.
The sale's $495,900 gross included a $7700 top price, as well as another 25 rams that made $3000 or more.
Three studs registered for the bidding, however it was overwhelmingly commercial buyers who, despite the high prices, were not under pressure due to the consistency of the line-up.
Volume buyers, who started their bidding in the early lots, were still buying in the final rows and knew from previous experience they could average back their more expensive early purchases.
It took until lot 48 before the $7700 top price was set and it came from an unexpected buyer.
Eric Pech and son Leon, Boyagin Valley, Brookton, have been among the top price payers for a number of years but this year they came with a determination that beat off an avalanche of contenders, including the losing bidder Woolkabin stud, Katanning.
The ram from a Glenlea Park 150881 syndicate had two outstanding Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) that inspired competition - a 9.53 post weaning weight (PWWT) and a 11.49 yearling weight (YWT) - and both figures were in the top five percentile band for the breed based on a September 7 analysis.
At 105 kilograms, it was among the heaviest in the shed and carried an 18.8 micron fleece with a 3.5 SD figure.
The men bought three other rams from the same syndicate for the $5000 equal third top price, $4000 and $2200 and all will be used in a nucleus to breed their own rams.
The 244-head line-up had an early March shearing and, despite a morning shower of rain dampening the surface and detracting from presentation, the wool quality was still evident.
Before the sale started Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke congratulated the White family, saying the line-up was as even as peas in a pod.
OTHER RAM SALE NEWS
Post sale Mr Clarke complemented the Whites on their ram selection and breeding.
"The results get better every year," Mr Clarke said.
"They are paddock-reared on grass as part of their policy to run their sheep as naturally as possible.
"Not one ram stands out today but it is the evenness of the wool quality and type and the number of multiple bidders - four or five - on many of the rams that made it an outstanding sale."
The list of high price payers was long.
Another among the top price buyers was Richie Wiese & Co, Narrogin, who also bid to the $5000 equal third top price as he put together a four-ram team paying $3900, $3200 and $2900 for others.
Phil and Alan Bear, Moonijin stud, Dowerin, have often claimed the top price ram but this year they had a reprieve from high prices, paying $3600 and $2900 as a result of the vast depth of quality that extended well down the line.
Brad Nicholls, Morlup Nominees, Yealering, bought a single ram and paid the $5300 second top price for a Leahcim 173122 son to use in the family's nucleus flock.
The ram had a tidy set of ASBVs, showing a 165.65 Merino Plus index, 161 Dual Purpose index with individual components of 7.85 PWWT and 10.74 YWT, that were in the top 10 per cent and raw fleece data showing 18.5 micron with a 99.9pc comfort factor.
After buying for the first time in 2020, Trevor Cowcher, trading as Cowcher Farming, Quindanning, bought at $4200, $3800, $2600 and for studmaster Blake White their destination at Quindanning was gratifying.
He said their sheep were normally associated with the Wheatbelt but the wool type was well suited to the higher rainfall area and it was pleasing to see them extending westward.
Mr White thanked clients for their support and said it was good to present sheep in a good season that allowed them to express their full genetic potential in the paddock.
A spokeman for Cowcher Farming said the switch to Nepowie had been a good move with an exceptional drop of hoggets coming through and a very good drop of lambs on the ground this year.
The hoggets were plainer and had good free-growing white wool that handled their conditions.
Elders, Mingenew representative Ross Tyndale-Powell bid on behalf of VR & BJ Elsegood & Son, Mingenew, to get 15 rams.
Arguably the most difficult client to beat in the auction, they came away with 15 rams including eight rams for $3000 or more.
They paid a $3900 top and bought their first sheep in pen six, but managed to average back to $2880 when they stopped buying after pen 180.
Long-term buyers Travis Eva and father Ian, Nalya Farming Co, Brookton, paid $3300 for pen eight but managed to get their 10 rams slightly cheaper than last year.
They needed slightly more than usual and looked for structure and size before checking weaning weight, wool cut and muscle figures.
They found the changing Nepowie type was giving them better early growth and higher fertility.
They paid a $2190 average for their team.
Neighbours Wade Angwin and father Steven were the day's biggest volume buyer and bought their first ram in pen 13 and continued to buy throughout until the final row to get 26 rams.
They paid up to $2100 and bought more than usual to join an extra 1300 ewes they bought to stock a new leasehold block.
The Angwin family is one, if not the oldest Nepowie client and Wade and his brothers Kyle and Dane are the third generation of family members to continue the tradition started in 1955 when their grandfather bought at the first ever Nepowie sale to offer Poll rams.
The family runs 5500 ewes joined to Merino rams and a further 1300 mated to terminal sires and made the decision earlier this year they would opt for sheep rather than expand their cropping operation when they took on the lease.
They came looking for size, good fleece, micron and body weight in all their selections.
The list of high price and volume buyers was extensive.
Luke Cronin, HRD Pastoral, Tincurrin, paid up to $3500 and averaged $2822 for five; RJ & LJ Bassett, Brookton, paid up to $3300 and averaged $3033 for three; MM & MJ Johnston, Boyup Brook, paid up to $3900 and averaged $2940 for five; and Stockdale Partners, Hyden, paid up to $3000 and averaged $2700 for six.
One final high price payer was WA College of Agriculture, Narrogin, farm manager Stephen Madson, who bought a single ram for $3800 for the school's commercial flock.
He said they had been using Nepowie bloodlines for the past four to five years and although he had been keeping an eye on figures, he found many of the higher testing rams were priced out of his range.
Mr Madson said the White family had been good to the college over the years and as a local stud he found plenty of rams that suited their needs.
Nepowie neighbour Darren Wilson, trading as W & G Wilson, needed 15 rams and bought at lower values as did Royce Quartermaine, Carlton Springs, Narrogin, who bought 14 rams and were among the biggest buyers on the day.
