THE Gale family's Galaxy Park studs received overdue rewards at its Tintinara-based White Suffolk and SAMM ram sale on Friday.
Both breeds had good support and a significant lift in results compared to 2014.
There was total clearance of the 68 White Suffolks offered and 15 more rams sold, with the top price up $200 to $1500 and the average up $112 to $969.
In the SAMM line-up, 16 of 22 rams sold - six more than last year. The top price was up $1000 to $2700 and the average up $128 to $1188.
There were 23 registered bidders with all but one securing rams on the day.
The quality of both line-ups was outstanding, with Elders auctioneer Steve Doecke commending the Gale family on doing a "fantastic job" in breeding and with their presentation.
Since the White Suffolk breed was founded, Galaxy Park has been at the top on performance.
This offering reflected that, with post weaning growth rates up to +17.3 and eye muscle up to +2.38. Of the 68 offered, 14 were more than 200 for Carcase Plus index and 37 were more than 190 - 20 points above breed average.
Every ram was at least 10 points above breed average for this index.
With that level of performance, you would expect strong competition, and that was achieved this year.
Alec and David Beggs, Reedy Creek, and buying through Miller Whan & John's Mike Newton, led the way with the top price and were prominent in the volume buying stakes.
They bought eight rams, chasing higher performance and top muscles, paying from $1200 to the White Suffolk top of $1500.
The top price ram, GP253 was the highest muscled ram in the catalogue with +2.38, and also had high growth at 15.39 culminating in a C+ index of 205.11 - the second highest in the offering.
Other volume buyers who added a strong floor to the sale were the Johnson family, Mount Boothby, Tintinara, who picked up rams from $700 to $900, and the Paech family, Murray Bridge, with eight rams, also from $700 to $900.
Prominent with six rams each were three buyers - BC&DK Richardson, Tintinara, $800 to $1100; David Skewes, Strathalbyn, $800 to $1100; and WK&CA Filsell, Keith, $600 to $800.
EG Wait Pty Ltd, Tintinara, picked up five from $800 to $1000 to be a prominent buyer.
The Ferguson family, Tintinara, won the free ram donated by Galaxy Park each year to the breeder of the highest-price prime lambs sired by rams purchased at this sale venue.
They sold 264 spring-drop shorn lambs to TFI in May, finished on bean stubbles.
The lambs weighed 28.87kg average carcase weight and at $5.35/kg and with a $6.50 skin, made $162 a head.
The Fergusons took home four rams in total - they bought three from $1000 to $1400.
As in previous years, Galaxy Park offered the first 10 of its 22 SAMM rams on the condition of delivery after the Royal Adelaide Show, where they will make up the Galaxy Park team.
The Gales have concentrated on high quality wools on the top carcases and have been awarded the 'best woolled' SAMM ram and ewe at Adelaide for the past three years.
They have also come off an outstanding Royal last year, when they won the supreme SAMM exhibit award and most successful exhibitor.
This no doubt helped attract greater demand this year, with six astute buyers competing.
Geoff Thomas, Wonnara Pastoral, via Hawker, picked up the first ram for $2000 to set the tone.
But it was Elders agent Dean Coddington who took the $2700 top price honours, connecting via phone with Childerley Park Props, Naracoorte, to buy GP192.
Galaxy Park will retain half semen rights in this upstanding and beautifully balanced ram with an appealing 20.3 micron wool.
Elders and Landmark officiated.
