IT WAS a premier sale in more ways than one at the Daniell family's 36th annual Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Poochera on Tuesday last week.
They had a 100 per cent clearance of the 185 rams offered, topping at $12,000 and averaging $2127.
The quality of the line-up matched the result, with an even offering right to the last lot; the mostly paddock reared rams weighing 100 kilograms to 140kg, with terrific, productive wools.
The first progeny of Collinsville Premier 102 took the spotlight, with 60 sons sold to the sale's top and averaging an impressive $3120, confirming that his $34,000 price at the Adelaide ram sale in 2013 was a great investment.
His progeny were like 'peas in a pod' with big, safe frames and well-defined, long-stapled white, bright and nourished wools.
An impressive Premier son took home top price honours – with NSW bidder, Robert Stein, Tubbo Station general manager, Darlington Point, in the Riverina, outlasting initial bidders. Tubbo Station runs about 8500 breeding ewes, including 500 in their internal stud flock where this ram will be used.
"I was looking for a ram with scale, correctness of structure and good lustrous wool and the ability to breed on. I saw him, and his sire, at Bendigo, Vic, so I could see what he could grow into. Then to see the consistent quality in all the Premier sons at this sale certainly showed he had the repeatable genetics I was looking for," Mr Stein said.
Weighing 119kg, this big and long ram had a strong sirey head and bright, well-defined 20.4 micron wool.
This year was a first as White River offered more Poll Merinos, 125, than Merinos, 60 – in line with industry trends and demand.
The averages also showed the Daniell family got their sale numbers spot on, with 125 Poll Merinos averaging $2175 and 60 Merinos averaging $2027.
Parla Peak, Chandada, were the successful bidder on lot one, a son of One Oak 304 bought in 2012 for $21,000, that sold at $7000.
David Lindner, Wonga Pastoral Co, Morgan, and SW Williams & Co, Streaky Bay, each paid $6000 for the next two Merinos – the first a Kaldoonera son and the latter from the Dominator family, this ram being the biggest and heaviest in the line-up at 140kg at 14 months.
Long-term supporters of White River genetics the Hams family, Broadoak stud, Whyte Yarcowie, bought the second and third Premier sons offered at $10,500 and $7500, being almost identical in outlook and measurements.
Two more Premier sons in the first Poll Merino run sold at $8000; one to Talieka Pastoral Co, Poochera, and one to Nick Leinert, Oak Farms stud, Kimba. Mr Lienert's buy had outstanding wool figures of 20.3M, 2.3 standard deviation, 11.3 coefficient of variation and 99.9 per cent comfort factor to back up his visual appeal. He also paid $4000 for two Merinos.
Colin McFarlane were strong bidders, going to $6200 for a Premier son, averaging $3417 for four Poll Merinos and two Merinos.
The bigger-volume buying was provided by three long-term and loyal clients through their Elders agents.
Elders Elliston's Paul Kilby, on behalf of the Reynolds family, Lairg Station, bought 29 rams at $800.
Mark and Nigel Turnbull, buying through Elders Cleve, took home 21 to $1900, averaging $1419.
Brenton Jones, Ebavale, Mullaquana Station, Whyalla Norrie, buying through Elders Wool's Charlie Rowe bought 13 to $2800, averaging $1477.
