Westerdale sire tops Katanning at $41,000

However when the numbers were crunched, it wasn't far off the best.

With solid bidding from WA studs, alongside a couple of Eastern States studs right through the catalogue of only Poll Merino rams, prices pushed to a sale high $41,000 for a classy August-shorn Poll Merino ram from the Jackson family's Westerdale stud, McAlinden, while the five-figure average of $10,875 ranks as the third best ever recorded behind the past two years.

All up in the sale 11 studs presented 18 rams for sale under the Elders and Nutrien Livestock banners and 16 were sold under the hammer for an average of $10,875.

In comparison, in last year's sale 15 rams sold from 17 offered to a top of $31,000 and average of $12,333.

Elders WA stud stock manager Tim Spicer said they were happy with the final sale result in terms of both prices and clearances.

"It was a quality line-up of rams from 11 WA studs and they were well supported with competition spread right through the catalogue," Mr Spicer said.

"Values were on par with presale expectations given the current position of the industry.

"There was good buying support across the catalogue from mainly WA stud breeders but there was also buying support from studs based in South Australia and New South Wales.

"It was certainly pleasing to see WA studs continuing to invest in new genetics despite the issues currently facing the industry.

"We thank the vendors who continually support this sale and also the purchasers this year after a challenging 12 months in terms of market conditions."

When it came to the $41,000 top price, this was achieved for the second last lot of the sale when Elders auctioneer James Culleton stood over an upstanding, full wool, six-tooth Poll Merino sire in lot 18 from the Jackson family's Westerdale stud, McAlinden.

Mr Culleton took an opening bid of $30,000 on the well-made sire, which showed a great blend of wool and carcase traits and the potential to be a top stud sire of the future.

From there the price quickly rose and broke through the $40,000 mark as a bidding melee broke out between two interested buyers determined to purchase the sire.

Then finally at $41,000, there was only one bidder left and Mr Culleton knocked the ram down to Jarrod King, Warralea stud, Gairdner, who was bidding with the support of Elders stud stock representative Nathan King, to create a stud record price for the Westerdale stud.

Jarrod King, who has used Westerdale genetics in the past, said he was very happy to be able to secure the Westerdale sire as it was a very unique ram for its wool type.

"We have purchased Westerdale rams before but not for about six years, so I was looking for another one as they have worked well for us and complement our conditions and this ram just ticked all the boxes," Mr King said.

"He has a big carcase, a beautiful topline, a nice backend, is structurally very correct and is very pure as well.

"To go with that he is carrying a very long-stapled, very white and extremely soft-handling wool.

"I first saw him at this year's Wagin Woolorama and was impressed by him and I have watched his progression from there and I think he has gotten better and better.

"He is going to be a real asset to our breeding program in the years to come."

The AI-bred Glenlea Park 881 son has wool figures of 18.8 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.4 CV and 99.6 per cent comfort factor (CF).

In the show at Katanning it was sashed the grand champion August-shorn Poll Merino ram and champion August-shorn fine-medium wool Poll Merino and these ribbons added to a long list of awards already won by the ram this year.

Also this year it won the reserve grand champion Poll Merino ram titles at the Wagin Woolorama and Williams Gateway Expo and the grand champion fine-medium wool Poll Merino ram of show title at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, Victoria.

Losing bidder on the Westerdale sire was the Mullan family, Quailerup West and Eastville Park studs, Wickepin.

The $17,000 second top price was achieved when the very first lot in the sale, offered by the Blight family's Seymour Park stud, Highbury, was knocked down at this value by Mr Culleton.

Securing the well-grown, young, March-shorn Poll Merino ram was return buyer Bill Cowan, Crichton Vale stud, Narembeen.

He said the ram had similar bloodlines to what they have bought in the past from Seymour Park stud.

"The Seymour Park rams we have previously have worked well for us," Mr Cowan said.

"The bloodline really complements our breeding flock, so I can't wait to see what this ram will add to our program.

"He is a big, stretchy ram with an excellent deep body and a good rich fine-medium wool which has style and length."

The upstanding young ram is by Angenup B320 and had wool figures of 19.6 micron, 2.8 SD, 14.5 CV and 99.8pc CF.

The Seymour Park stud offered a second ram in the sale but it failed to sell.

It was a good couple of days for the Norrish family's Angenup stud, Kojonup, with it not only exhibiting the supreme exhibit and dominating the March-shorn ram classes on Thursday, success followed them into the sale.

The stud notched up the first of the sale's equal third top prices when a March-shorn, Poll Merino ram, which was still carrying its lambs teeth, was knocked down at $15,000 to Nathan King, who was representing Alan and Sue Dawson, Winyar stud, Canowindra, New South Wales.

The ET-bred ram, which is by Moorundie NE073, had wool figures of 20.4 micron, 3.4 SD, 16.9 CV and 98.8pc CF.

In the show the ram was sashed the grand champion March-shorn Poll Merino ram and champion March-shorn medium wool Poll Merino ram.

Mr King said he had known the Dawson family for years and Mr Dawson called asking him to keep an eye out for a new sire.

"Alan was looking for a good doing type ram with depth and width and elite gutsy wool and this ram fitted the brief well so he decided to have a go," Mr King said.

"Alan saw all the photos and videos of the ram on AuctionsPlus, which helped him make his decision.

"The videos and pictures on AuctionsPlus complement the sale as it allows prospective buyers like Alan to see what is on offer."

Angenup sold a second young March shorn Poll Merino sire at $8000.

It was knocked down to Mr King, who this time was purchasing on behalf of a partnership consisting of the Blight family's Seymour Park stud and the Patterson family's Woolkabin stud, Woodanilling.

The ET-bred ram, which was also a son of Moorundie NE073, has wool figures of 20.5 micron, 3.0 SD, 14.5 CV and 99.2pc CF.

Seymour Park's Clinton Blight said they were keen to purchase another Angenup ram as the Angenup rams they have previously purchased have worked really well for them.

"We are trying to keep this family established at the moment," Mr Blight said.

"This ram has good growth and a good barrel plus a long stapled fine-medium wool which looks like it could handle a fair bit of water."

Woolkabin's Eric Patterson, said they purchased their first Angenup two-tooth Poll ram for the top price at the Angenup on-property ram sale three years ago.

"It's worked well for us and certainly kept our wools up," Mr Pattterson said.

"This new ram really looks the part.

"He is great from behind, has a really good head, plenty of width and very good wool quality."

The Richardson family's Mianelup stud, Gnowangerup, offered a single paddock run, May-shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino ram and it was the second ram to make the sale's $15,000 equal third top price.

Securing the upstanding, young sire, which showed good carcase and wool traits, was return buyer the Meyer family, Mulloorie stud, Brinkworth, South Australia, which purchased with the assistance of Elders South Australia stud stock representative Alistair Keller.

Peter Meyer said he really liked the nourishment in the surface of the paddock run ram along with its bone and structure.

"He also has a very strong muzzle and walks with great width through the front and back ends," Mr Meyer said.

"Plus he is covered with a really good, soft-handling, bold, medium wool."

Mr Meyer said they have purchased Mianelup rams in the past and they worked well.

"This ram is a different bloodline to what we have had in the past and we will look to use him over our Mianelup Elliot daughters," he said.

The ram is sired by Mianelup 99, which carries Mianelup Bubba and Old Ashrose Will bloodlines.

It has wool figures of 19.5 micron, 3.5 SD, 18.2 CV and 99.2pc CF.

The Kirk family's Sunny View Polls stud, Wagin, offered in the sale for the first time and it wouldn't have been disappointed with the outcome.

The single entry in the line-up was an upstanding March-shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino ram and it sold for the sale's $15,000 equal third topaprice to the Cowan family, Crichton Vale stud.

Buyer Bill Cowan said the ram would represent a new bloodline for the family's stud and it was its wool along with its make and shape which impressed him the most.

"We have got some terrific, big stretchy ewes which we think he will go over and complement well with his wool which is his biggest asset," Mr Cowan said.

Crichton Vale classer and Elders stud stock representative Nathan King believed the ram has one of the best wools he had seen this year on a young ram across Australia.

"It is a really elite, stylish, crimpy wool that will complement the Crichton Vale stud," Mr King said.

The ram, which is by Sunny View Polls 202, has wool figures of 21.8 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.4 CV and 98.9pc CF.

The House family's Barloo stud, Gnowangerup, offered two March-shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino rams in the line-up and they both sold to a top of $12,000 and an average of $8000.

Recording the stud's $12,000 top price was the stud's lead ram, which showed good squareness and depth of body, when it was knocked down to the Panizza family, Old Aprelia stud, Southern Cross, which was assisted in its bidding by Elders stud stock representative and Old Aprelia classer Kevin Broad.

Isaac Panizza said it was the first time they had purchased from Barloo.

"We are looking to change our genetics as we aim to breed larger framed stock," Mr Panizza said.

"We were looking for a ram with good size, wool quality and a nice square body which we got with this ram.

"The ram has consistent genetics throughout the sires from Masterbuilt and was the kind of ram we were looking for."

The 129 kilogram ram is a son of East Mundalla Masterbuilt, which was purchased by Barloo at the 2021 Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Merino Ram Sale for $51,000 from the East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock.

It had wool figures of 20.9 micron, 3.4 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.5pc CF.

Barloo's second ram, which was also a son of East Mundalla Masterbuilt, sold at $4000 to the Steel family's Carribber stud, Southern Cross.

The 114kg ram had wool figures of 19.7 micron, 3.4 SD, 17.4 CV and 99.7pc CF.

The Mullan family, Quailerup West stud, Wickepin, presented a March shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino in the offering and it was well received and sold at $12,000 to return stud buyer, the Maher family, Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin.

Brendan Maher said he was impressed by the ram when he first saw it at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show and then again when he saw it at the Narrogin Long Wool Day.

"In my eyes he is one of the better Poll Merino rams I have seen come out of Quailerup West," Mr Maher said.

"He doesn't have too many faults, he is structurally very good and carries a good long-stapled, white wool.

"He has a really good mix of carcase and wool traits.

"We also like his bloodline, as we have already had success with his sire's line in our flock, so we think he will fit in well with our program."

The upstanding, long-bodied, long-stapled ram is a son of Coromandel 419 and it had wool figures of 19.8 micron, 3.1 SD, 15.5 CV and 99.7pc CF.

New owners of the Rhamily stud, the King family, White Springs stud, Calingiri, had a successful sale debut selling their three March-shorn Poll Merino rams offered through Nutrien Livestock to stud interest at an average of $6167.

Wayne Button, Manunda stud, Tammin, paid the stud's $7000 top price for a White River-blood ram testing 21.9 micron, 3.6 SD, 16.3 CV and 98.1pc CF.

Mr Button said he was keen to support the King family.

"It was great to see Dan King and family have a good sale," Mr Button said.

"The ram has similar bloodlines to what we have used from Rhamily in the past and what they had purchased from us.

"Structurally and its constitution is very difficult to fault with safe Wheatbelt wools."

The next best price in the White Springs offering was $6500 bid by the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin, for the stud's lead ram.

Grantly Mullan said the ram was a big, square sire.

"He has an outstanding body with great depth and a good, fine wool which tests well," Mr Mullan said.

"We have used the Rhamily bloodline before and it has worked well, so I am confident this ram will fit well into our breeding program and add something to our flock."

The ram, which carries Nepowie genetics after being bred from a syndicate mating, had wool figures of 18.8 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.1 CV and 99.8pc CF.

The third ram in the White Springs line-up, which carried the Old Ashrose Will bloodline on its sire side sold for $5000 to the Beech family, Rothbury stud, Tenterden.

This ram had wool figures of 17.1 micron, 3.0 SD, 17.8 CV and 99.6pc CF.

The Wise family's Wililoo stud, Woodanilling, offering this year consisted of three March shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino rams and they all found new homes at studs selling to a top of $5000 and an average of $3833.

Phil and Robyn Jones, Belka Valley stud, Bruce Rock, didn't hesitate to secure the first two Wililoo sires offered at $5000 and $3000.

The first ram, which was sashed the reserve grand champion March shorn Poll Merino and reserve champion March shorn medium wool Poll Merino, had wool tests of 21 micron, 3.3 SD, 15.9 CV and 99pc CF and was by Moorundie Park M061.

The second ram had wool measurements of 20 micron, 2.7 SD, 13.7 CV and 99.8pc CF and was sired by a Moorundie Park bred ram carrying Seymour Park bloodlines.

Mr Jones said it was a fantastic opportunity to get two great rams at value for money.

"They both have tremendous make and shape and carcase conformation, particularly the reserve grand champion we purchased first," Mr Jones said.

"They are a very even pair of rams with beautiful nourished medium wools.

"They will work together and we are looking forward to seeing the progeny."

Wililoo's third ram offered sold for $3500 to the Jackson family's Overton stud, Kojonup.

It had wool figures of 18.4 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.9 CV and 99.6pc CF and was a son of a Moorundie Park bred ram carrying Seymour Park bloodlines.

Along with purchasing the top-priced ram, the King family's Warralea stud, was a vendor in the sale.

It offered and sold a classy, March-shorn, two-tooth Poll Merino for $5000 to the Morrison family, San-Mateo stud, Brookton, in the lot before its top-priced purchase.

The ram is by Coromandel 419 and has wool figures of 20.0 micron, 3.0 SD, 15.1 CV and 99.5pc CF.

San-Mateo classer and Elders stud stock representative Nathan King said San-Mateo had used Warralea genetics in its flock in the past.

"We have a really good Warralea family line going at the moment so we wanted to be able to get another sire from the stud to add something to it and keep it going," Mr King said.

"This ram has got bone, great feet and the right amount of wool density for the San-Mateo type.

"We also like his breeding as Coromandel 419 has bred well in a lot of studs."