RICHARD and Jacquie Halliday and family presented a top line-up of 45 Poll Merino rams at their annual on-property Callowie ram sale at Bordertown on Monday.
Twenty-eight rams sold to $2300 and averaged $1039, with a lift in average and rams sold on last year.
"The depth of quality and presentation is a real credit to the Halliday family, especially considering the tough season in this area," Landmark auctioneer Richard Miller said.
He highlighted the confidence in the sheep industry in wool and carcase sectors.
The Callowie rams had plenty of bale-filling and visually appealing wools and their carcase measurements were exceptional for muscling and fat cover.
Bodyweights ranged from 90 kilograms to 110kg and their Australian sheep breeding values for muscle were all positive except two and topped at +1.4, while their fat covering averaged -0.06 across the whole offering.
The buying support was dominated by four repeat Callowie clients.
The Wagenknecht family, Bordertown, has regularly chased the best Callowie rams and did so again this year, paying $2300 for Callowie 47, the top-price ram.
It had measurements of 4+ for fleece weight, positive 0.3 for muscling, -0.1 for fat and -1.4 for fibre. The 20.9 micron ram by the renowned Callowie Pugsley was impressive.
They also picked up another superb-woolled son of Callowie 11059 for $1200.
Underbidder on the top-price lot was Keith Nutt, AK&AH Nutt, Orroroo, a regular Callowie buyer. He paid the second-top price of $2200 for Callowie 193, by C11287, very similar in all measurements to the sale topper.
He added four more to $1900, his five rams averaging $1660.
Ben Dunstall and David Jaensch, Cove Station, Dinyarrak, Vic, and bidding through Kyle Livestock's Stuart Kyle was the volume buyer. Also long-time Callowie supporters, they took eight, paying to $2000, averaging $938.
