RIC and Gail Ridgway and family were soundly rewarded for the high quality of their offering of Poll Merino rams at their annual ram sale at Lameroo on Monday.
They presented 128 rams in the main auction, with a further 33 available in the mini auction that followed, all with outstanding Merino Select ASBVs.
By sale-end they had cleared 127 (up five on last year), achieved an on-property record $5000, up $1400 on last year, and averaged $1464 - up $294.
The main auction in average lifted by $356. But like many sales with bigger numbers on offer, there was still value-buying to be had with 37 per cent of the rams selling for $1000 or less.
The lift in average was just-reward for rams that overall weighed up to 130 kilograms and averaged 10kg to 15kg more than their previous draft.
Ric Ridgway said the rams also cut significantly more wool than previously, which the stud was constantly working to achieve.
"We are very pleased with our distinct Ridgway type that we present here for your competition today," Ric Ridgway said in opening the sale.
"We love good wools - we are also constantly working on carcase improvement, but not sacrificing wool quality."
The sale opened with $4200 for the powerful Ridgway 763, paid by Craig and Josh Graham, Glencorrie Pty Ltd, Maitland, through Wardle & Co. This was ultimately the equal second-top-price of the sale, but the Grahams did not stop there, taking seven outstanding rams in total at a $2857 average.
It was the second ram offered, Ridgway 528, that had many talking presale. Weighing 112kg, this AI son of Kamora Park 1028 had an absolutely magnificent 17.4-micron fleece with fantastic crimp definition and fibre alignment, and was also +23 for yearling clean fleece weight. His multi-purpose + index was 160 and his dual-purpose + index was 150, both right at the top of industry standards.
Buyers of last year's top ram, Brian Martin and Wayne Sherriff, McLaren Vale, and Bill Walker, Classings Ltd, Murray Bridge, were strong bidders, but ultimately could only claim underbidding status. Len Matthews, Bulgandri Poll Merino stud, Rand, NSW, and buying through Landmark Albury, won the bidding competition at the $5000 top. Mr Matthews then bid $3900 for R523, then $1500 for R513, both these being Roemahkita Big Joe sons.
Mr Matthews has a long history in the industry, having relinquished his Merino stud to family, then started a poll stud. He has purchased Ridgway's older ewes for the past three years and had great success with them.
Mr Martin and Mr Sherriff later bought another top ram of the same breeding and similar performance at just $1800.
Glen Hampel, GMR & J Nominees, was also very strong early, taking rams at $4200 and $3600, both KP1028 sons with yearling clean fleece weight EBVs of +21 and +24, and both with 100pc comfort factor wool.
Dwayne Simon, McPiggery, Lameroo, paid $4000 for R985, another magnificent-woolled ram with 100pc comfort factor. Ridgway had contemplated retaining this ram.
Regular buyer Lynton Barrett, through Quality Livestock, repeated his past two years' efforts when he was again the volume buyer, taking 13 from $800-$2200 at a $1315 average.
Steven and Carolyn Paech, Callington, long-term supporters of Ridgway genetics, were back in force this year, tak six high quality rams from $1000-$1600 averaging $1333.
Vic clients of Highton AWN agent Kelvin Shelley have supported Ridgway for the past five years and through three buying accounts, they collectively purchased 12 to $3000 averaging $1521.
Simon Brady, Rhymney, took three to $2400 to add to the one he purchased for $3000 at the recent Hamilton Sheepvention in Vic.
Tim Philip, Maroona, purchased four to $3000 averaging $1838. The other five were purchased by Kelvin Shelley for an undisclosed Mount Mercer client.
