Record $8000 ram at Karawatha Park

The stud achieved 100 per cent clearance of 79 rams and an average of $1814, up $248 on last year's sale.

A record top of $8000 was paid by Ian and Fiona Koch, Bunyara Poll Merino and Merino stud, Moculta, for a Poll Merino.

Mr Koch is a return buyer to Karawatha Park.

He inspected the top-price ram at the Eyre Peninsula Stud Merino Breeders Association field day at Wudinna in July, and said there was plenty to like about him.

"I was impressed by the overall size of the ram and the fact he's got a big, square body," Mr Koch said.

"The ram also has really good, nourished, bright, crimpy wool on him."

The 15-month-old ram weighed in at 115 kilograms and rated 141 on MerinoSelect's dual-purpose index.

Its yearling body weight was 7.7kg above the average and his clean fleece weight was 13 per cent above the average, with a yearling staple length 9.4pc longer than the average.

Its fleece was 19.6 microns with 3.2 standard deviation, 16.2 coefficient of variation and 99.4 per cent comfort factor.

Shannon Larwood, Kimba, bought the second top-price rams, two at $4400, along with another at $4000.

Last year's top-price buyers Paul and John Schaefer, Nalino Props, Buckleboo, also offered strong support this year, buying four rams to $4300. The Schaefers have been buying from Karawatha Park since the stud started 13 years ago.

Other Eyre Peninsula buyers included Kym Allen & Co, Kimba, three to $3400; Matthew Cook, Minnipa, four to $2200; TJ&DL Larwood, Kimba, three to $3800; Woolford Brothers, Kimba, five to $2100; JF&JA Baldock, Kimba, three to $2000, PR&SK Beinke, Kimba, three to $1700; Darren Collins, Ceduna, four to $1100; and Brook Seal, Kimba, three to $1000.

Classing Ltd's Bill Walker bought on behalf of clients Aston Station, Pooncarie, NSW, four to $1500, and Wilkatana, Port Augusta, four to $800.

Buying from the Mid North were Wayne Young, Wandearah, six to $3200, and Robert Koch, Georgetown, six to $1700.

Bert Woolford said he considered this year's line-up the best the stud had presented.

"We believe our focus on ASBVs has really helped push the team along," he said.

"The overall bodyweights are 8 kilograms higher than last year, but the rams are two months younger."

All the rams offered at the sale were 15 months old.

Dion Woolford said it was great to see a ram offered in pen 77 still make $4300.

"I think that showed the quality that was on offer right through to pen 80," he said.

"We're breeding an easy-care, fertile animal, but we won't sacrifice the wool quality or wool cut to achieve that objective.

"The rams we're breeding are free and plain, but they are still heavy cutters, and I think that's why people keep coming back."

The quality across the auction was obvious from the average sale team figures of 19.7M, 3.1SD and 99.5CF.

The sale was conducted by Landmark and Quality Wool.