Positive signs for Ashrose progress

The Graetz family continued to make inroads into growing their client base - two new buyers were among the 10 registered bidders from Kangaroo Island, the South East, and western Vic.

In the breakdown 27 of 59 of the mainly April/May 2014-drop rams averaged $1176 - nearly a $100 lift on last year.

It is three years since the Graetz family bought the stud and prefix from Glenstrae Pastoral Company, Willalooka. Glenstrae bought it five years earlier from the Ashby family. The Graetzs had also been breeding Merinos for more than 25 years under their North Rhine prefix before buying one of Australia's oldest studs.

A new stud high price was also set by long-time supporters when TH&SC Rivett, Avenue Range, paid $2800 for lot five. They were impressed by the upstanding ram's "softness and style of wool" and "bale-filling" wool cut. He was one of three rams the Rivetts took at a $1633 average.

The 21-micron sire had a 3.6 standard deviation, 16.9 coefficient of variation and 98.7 per cent comfort factor.

"It is the type of sheep we have been chasing for a long time," Terry Rivett said.

PJ Leach & Co, Mundulla, bought the $2000 second top-price rams.

Buick & Campbell, Kingscote, and Delro-Alaman, Woolumbool, were volume buyers, each taking five.

Elders Keith branch manager Steve Doecke, who managed the helmsman sale, said the Graetzs had maintained the large-frame, heavy-cutting sheep Ashrose was renowned for, but had lifted wool quality.

Stud co-principal Tim Graetz said the stud's aim was to breed rams with longer-staple, brighter white wool suitable for their clients in high-rainfall and pastoral areas, and he believed they were heading in the right direction.

The paddock-run rams were 15 kilograms heavier than the previous year despite a difficult season.