IT was stylish white wool, quality genetics and great conformation that attracted buyers to support the Richardson family's Mianelup Poll Merino on-property ram sale last week at Gnowangerup.
The catalogue was filled with 110 stud sires that were highly sought after by both new and return buyers who were eager to bid up on their pen favourites and enjoy the Richardson family's hospitality.
The evenness throughout the sale was supported by impressive Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).
The sale team presented average figures of 20.2 micron, 3.7kg greasy fleece weight (GFW) for four and a half months wool growth, 98.5 kilograms bodyweight (September 8 weighed), 30.2mm eye muscle depth (EMD) and 2.7mm fat and in the catalogue the GFW, EMD and fat figures were expressed as a percentage of these figures.
This year's sale resulted in 101 of the 110 rams selling under the hammer to an average of $1770, which was slightly down on last year's sale average of $2043 for 115 of the 122 rams offered in the catalogue being sold.
Elders Gnowangerup agent James Culleton said the result was positive.
"The rams were on par with expectations, the Richardson family always produces great rams," Mr Culleton said.
"The line-up of rams was very well presented and exceptionally even.
"There was good support from return buyers and a new buyer that was a great support too this year."
It was a big-bodied ram with bright white wool from pen six that took out the top price honours of $3400, which was knocked down to Lachlan Lewis, Pallinup River Stud Farm, Pallinup stud, Gnowangerup.
The 93kg ram had current wool figures of 20 micron, 3.4 SD, 17.2 CV and 99.5 per cent comfort factor (CF) to go with percentage figures of 101pc for GFW, 100pc for fat and 104pc for EMD.
Mr Lewis is a return buyer and said he was mainly selecting on the ram's bloodlines.
"This ram's brother sold for $15,000 at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Merino Ram Sale at Katanning this year," Mr Lewis said.
"The ram itself was spot on and basically sold itself, he was very well covered and was a clean polled animal."
Mr Lewis said the ram had exceptional wool and had a nice clean face and muzzle.
Pallinup River Stud Farm purchased three rams in total that averaged $2733, including a ram at $2900.
The ram bought from pen 58 weighed 106kg and had current wool figures of 21 micron, 3.4 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.2pc CF to go with percentage figures of 125pc for GFW, 100pc for fat and 103pc for EMD.
KJ Cunningham & Co, Tambellup, trailled closely behind and paid the equal second highest price of $3300.
The pen five ram weighed 100kg and had current wool figures of 20.4 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.1pc CF to go with percentage figures of 128pc for GFW, 111pc for fat and 112pc for EMD.
The Cunningham family continued to put together an impressive team of top-end rams, finishing off with 12 rams that averaged $2142.
Included in its team was one ram at $3100 from pen four that weighed 106kg and $3000 for the ram in pen three that weighed 100kg.
The $3100 ram had current wool figures of 18.2 micron, 2.9 SD, 16.2 CV and 99.6pc CF to go with percentage figures of 104pc for GFW, 100pc for fat and 115pc for EMD, while the $3000 ram had current wool figures of 17.4 micron, 2.8 SD, 16 CV and 100pc CF to go with percentage figures of 138pc for GFW, 100pc for fat and 92pc for EMD.
Borden clients, HG & NG Milne, was the other buyer to pay the second top price of $3300.
Its pen 10 gem had current wool figures of 18.8 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.4 CV and 99.7pc CF to go with percentage figures of 120pc for GFW, 89pc for fat and 99pc for EMD.
The Milne family left the sale with seven rams to an average of $2386.
Elders stud stock representative Russell McKay, purchased rams on behalf of the volume buyers, O'Keeffe Farming, Gnowangerup, with the help of the family's livestock overseer Lenny Sewell.
O'Keeffe Farming secured a team of 21 quality rams that portrayed the Mianelup genetics perfectly to an average of $1500 and a high of $2300.
Their top-priced ram weighed 94kg and had current wool figures of 20 micron, 3.3 SD, 16.3 CV and 99.3pc CF to go with percentage figures of 106pc for GFW, 111pc for fat and 108pc for EMD.
Mr McKay said it was the first time O'Keeffe Farming has purchased rams from the sale.
"They were very happy with the frame of the rams and the bold crimpy wool they have," Mr McKay said.
He said the O'Keeffe family recently purchased two lines of Mianelup breeding ewes.
"They needed rams to cover their new ewes," Mr McKay said.
Alan Price, Wandering, secured 11 rams to a high of $2000 twice for rams weighing 90kg and 96kg, averaging $1436.
The $2000 rams from pen 17 and 33 had percentage figures of 114pc for GFW, 93pc for fat and 97pc for EMD (pen 17 ram), while the pen 33 ram had percentage figures of 98pc for GFW, 93pc for fat and 97pc for EMD.
Two buyers purchased nine rams each, with John Scott & Son, Wagin, paying an average of $2033, and GM & TL McLennan, Borden, averaging $1822.
The Wagin account paid a high of $2400 for a ram weighing 99kg that had current wool figures of 20.2 micron, 3.5 SD, 17.3 CV and 98.7pc CF to go with percentage figures of 130pc for GFW, 100pc for fat and 100pc for EMD.
The Borden buyers paid a top of $2500 for a sire that weighed 96kg that had current wool figures of 18.1 micron, 2.6 SD, 14.2 CV and 100pc CF to go with percentage figures of 109pc for GFW, 89pc for fat and 91pc for EMD.
WEV & JE Waldron, Cranbrook, and CH & ER Gibbs & Sons, Kojonup, both purchased five rams each, with the Waldron family paying an average of $1000 and a top of $1100, twice, while the Gibbs family's team averaged $980 and reached a high of $1500.
Mianelup stud principal Elliot Richardson said he was very happy with how the rams presented on sale day and the evenness of them.
"We really appreciate all the buyer support," Mr Richardson said.
