White Springs Poll Merinos sell to $3000 at Calingiri ram sale

The King family purchased the Rhamily stud last year from Ray and Rhonda Edmonds and made a successful sale debut in August at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Merino Sale at Katanning, where they sold three stud rams including one to the Manunda stud for $7000.

While stud co-principal Dan King conceded it had been a steep learning curve since taking the reins of the stud, the professional presentation and quality sale team of 80 large frame white Wheatbelt wool Poll Merino rams couldn't be questioned.

A number of former buyers at Rhamily followed the stud to its new owners and enjoyed the King family's warm hospitality while selecting from a top line-up of two-tooth rams.

Unfortunately a few key buyers decided against buying rams this year due largely to seasonal conditions while some present buyers had trimmed their requirements.

This shifted the market in the buyers' favour and while a large number of the rams sold well, competition faded and buyers could be extremely selective and purchase quality rams at value while others were overlooked.

At the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock team sold 50 rams at auction for an average of $1280.

Auctioneer Grant Lupton congratulated the King family on the presentation of their first sale.

"You don't just buy a stud, there is the additional infrastructure and equipment and the huge commitment in time getting the breeding and presentation right," Mr Lupton said.

"It was a very well presented set-up for first time sellers and buyers that followed the stud were pleased with the presentation.

"But the sale lacked some buying support due to seasonal conditions north of Calingiri."

Long-time supporter of the Rhamily stud Corey Glass, Fenwick Farms Suffolk and White Suffolk studs, Calingiri, led the way in collecting a team of 14 rams costing a healthy $1814 average.

Mr Glass's haul included all the sale's higher values including the sale's $3000 top price paid for for a February shorn 103kg ram in lot 11 bred by sons of Old Ashrose Will, with wool tests of 18.6 micron, 3.2 SD, 100 per cent comfort factor (CF) and 7.3kg greasy fleece weight (GFW).

His $2900 second top price was paid earlier in lot seven for a 120kg February shorn ram from the Manunda Jacko family testing 18.7 micron, 3.1 SD, 99.9pc CF and 7.8kg GFW.

The Glasses will join about 2300 March shorn Merino ewes to Merino rams in the coming mating to lamb from mid May and Mr Glass said he was confident in the sheep and wool industry and happy to follow the stud and support Dan King and family.

"Dan puts a lot of effort into everything he does," Mr Glass said.

"They are big bodied heavy cutting rams.

"We have been doing well with our wool and the wool price is holding up OK.

"Everything has its ups and downs, we don't chase rainbows and running a mixed program works well for us."

Original Rhamily clients the Stickland family, C & DJ Stickland & Sons and Mungatta Murray Grey stud, Wongan Hills, was another buyer prepared to pay above sale average for their selections.

After competing on most of the top sheep, buyer John Stickland finished the sale with seven rams costing from $1200 to a $1900 top price, paid for an April shorn 97.5kg ram from the Gunallo family, with tests of 19.3 micron, 3.2 SD, 100pc CF and 10kg GFW.

He said they would join 1700-1800 February-March shorn Merino ewes in December and was happy to move with the stud to its new home.

"The Kings presented a good selection of rams," Mr Stickland said.

"They are robust sheep bred in a similar environment to us and have a bit of frame about them with a medium to fine micron white wool."

Regular buyers of numbers SF Chester & Co, Goomalling and LM Dennis & Co, Miling, went to script when they sourced nine rams a piece paying from $800-$1300 and $800-$1000 respectively.

Mitchell Crosby, Nutrien Livestock Breeding, purchased five rams for two Wheatbelt orders while long- time stud supporter GJ & P Edmonds, Calingiri, bid to $1600 for a team of three rams.