CLEARANCE was up and prices soared to $2800 at the Wentworth, NSW, Stud Merino Breeders specially selected flock ram sale on Sunday at the Wentworth Show.
Despite a few late withdrawals demand was high for the quality line-up of rams from Tamaleuca, Warrananga and Dunedin Park Merino and Poll Merino studs - with 100 per cent clearance of all 32 rams offered.
The sale average also rose to $1332, up $144 from last year's average at $1188.
Kevin Crook's Tamaleuca stud, Ouyen, Vic, took top-price honours with an excellent woolled ram sold to Andrew Ettershank and son Travis, Mernda, Gilgandra, NSW.
The pair, who have bought Tamaleuca rams for more than 20 years, said they were looking for rams with excellent frame, white, bright wool and good length.
"He'll fill the bales," Mr Ettershank said.
The 16 months sire had wool measurement figures of 19.3 micron, 3.7 standard deviation, 19.1 coefficient of variation and 98.1 per cent comfort factor.
This year the Mernda property will sell 100 bales of 21 micron to 22M wool, with ewes from the Tamaleuca based flock cutting five to 5.5 kilograms of skirted fleece a head, plus feeding a lamb.
The Ettershanks bought three rams at the sale.
Tamaleuca sold 16 rams to gross $21,400, averaging $1337.50.
Warrananga principals, Greg and Ben Pollard, Wentworth, sold 10 rams to gross $12,750, topping at $2150 and averaging $1275.
Their top-price ram sold to long-time return buyers Kevin and Trudy Ryan, and son Leeton, Wemen, Manangatang, Vic.
Sired by a Kamora-Moorundie Park ram, the 15-month-old had 18.5M, 3.32sd, 17.74CV and 99.3CF.
"We've been buying Warrananga rams for more than 20 years," Leeton said.
"They're big, straight-bodied rams and heavy wool cutters."
The Ryans sold their first-draft of Warrananga-blood sucker lambs, March/April-drops, to $172 at Ouyen, Vic, recently, averaging an excellent $167.
They bought two rams at the sale.The Duncan family, Dunedin Park, Wentworth, sold six rams to gross $8500, topping at $2200, and averaging $1416.
Their top-price sire sold to MU Curtis, via Elders Mildura, who bought three Dunedin Park rams.