THE sun finally came out at the 27th annual on-property Monte Verde ram sale despite the wet weather in the lead up at Kendenup.
The Hall family offered 50 quality Merino and Poll Merino stud sires that had come straight out of the paddock, presenting with soft, white wools.
Loyal return buyers were present and gathered at the stud to bid up, with both the gross and the average up by a mile.
The gross was up by $9700 opposed to last year's sale results, accompanied by an immensely positive $230 increase in average, taking the average to $1207 in comparison to last year's $977.
Of the 50 rams offered, a total of 38 sold under the hammer resulting in a 76 per cent clearance.
Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Mitchell Crosby was very pleased for the Monte Verde stud and the outcome of their sale.
"It was an outstanding sale," Mr Crosby said.
"It was definitely one of the better sale's they have had in terms of clearance as well as price."
Mr Crosby said the sheep were presented very well.
"The buyers that purchased from the stud were definitely able to get value for money," he said.
There was strong competition on the Poll Merino ram penned in lot 14 that sold for $2600, setting the tone of the sale fairly early.
This ram was bought by M Cooke & Sons, Grass Valley, and had wool figures of 19 micron, 3.7 SD, 19.6 CV, a 3.7 kilogram greasy fleece weight (GFW), 2.8kg clean fleece weight (CFW), a 99.4pc comfort factor (CF) and a 111.5 index.
The Cooke family was one of two volume buyers in the sale, taking home a team of 10 rams at an average of $1610.
Although they purchased the top-priced ram, they also purchased two second top-price rams at $2100, firstly in pen four and next in pen 23.
The pen four sire had wool figures of 18.9 micron, 4.1 SD, 21.6 CV, a 4kg GFW, 2.9kg CFW, a 99.1pc CF and an index of 104.1.
The second ram to achieve the second top-price, in pen 23 had wool figures of 17.6 micron, 3.7 SD, a 3.3kg GFW, 2.4kg CFW, a 99.8pc CF and a 113 index.
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Mr Cooke, who has been a loyal return buyer to the Monte Verde stud for years, wasn't present at the sale, but had a friend purchasing on his behalf.
Monte Verde co-principal Stan Hall said Mr Cooke was flying interstate but had picked out rams prior to the sale based on figures.
Mr Hall said the top-priced ram he had purchased had rich, stylish wool which is what he was looking to purchase.
The other volume buyer in the sale was Jebarjup Pastoral Co, Cranbrook, which also took home a team of 10 rams at an average of $820, paying to a top of $1000.
Loading up a team of seven rams after the sale was DR & M Egerton-Warburton, Frankland River, which paid a top of $1700, averaging $1079 and selecting predominantly from the first half of the catalogue.
The top-price ram purchased by the family was in pen 11 and had wool figures of 20.1 micron and had an index of 104.4.
Following closely behind, finishing the sale off with six rams was Greenvale Grazing Co, Tenterden, which paid an average of $950 and a top of $1000, four times.
Commenting on the sale's outcome was Mr Hall.
"The sale went very well, better than expectations," he said.
"The crowd was filled with all repeat, regular buyers."
Mr Hall said the wool off the May-shorn rams made $2120, greasy.
"These rams have never seen a self-feeder in their lives, they're straight out of the paddock," he said.
"The buyers are all reaping the rewards of the great wool quality."
