REPEAT local buyers bid with confidence at Bugle Downs Poll Dorset stud's annual on-property sale on Friday last week, ensuring more than a $100 lift in average and an extra five rams sold compared to 2014.
Many of the Keith stud's return clients knew the performance of the bloodlines - new-season lambs have been sold at up to $6 a kilogram.
In the breakdown, 60 of 69 April 2014-drop rams offered by John, Trish, Tim and Trudie Hedges sold for a $910 average.
All 14 registered bidders were successful but their orders were not enough for a total clearance of rams.
Rams sold to a $1500 high twice.
Long-time client Daniel Rayson, Bungalally Farms, Keith, snapped up the first of these at lot one - the equal heaviest ram at 118kg with plenty of length.
The ram, with a 100 millimetre eye muscle width and 50mm eye muscle depth, was one of four buys.
Glen Simpson, Keith, opened his buying account with the number-one ranked ram on their Stockscan figures, also at $1500.
The 108kg ram had 102EMW and 52EMD with fat depth of 9mm.
Altogether he bought three rams.
The sale's biggest buyers were LCH Bartlett & Partners, Keith, and Rockallen Pastoral Company, Willalooka, with seven rams each, averaging $1100 and $1000 respectively.
Stud co-principal Tim Hedges said they were thankful to their loyal client base and also to a couple of new buyers.
He was pleased that in a low rainfall season the average weight of the ram sale team was 10kg heavier than in 2014 - at 106.29kg.
It demonstrated the stud's emphasis on good growth-for-age.
"We are a stud but we are doing things commercially. They are paddock-fed so when they are out in the paddock they will perform," Mr Hedges said.
"We have already sold all 1600 of our first-cross and second-cross commercial lambs, by our rams, before they were five months."
The Hedges' property Balargorang is on the market but they expect to continue with the stud.
Two days earlier the Hedges invested in two new sires, outlaying the two highest prices at Newbold's annual on-property sale at Gawler River.
They paid $7000 and $6400 for the winning pair of rams from the Royal Adelaide Show.