WHILE the temperature was chilly, the sun shone and the competition was hot on an outstanding line-up of Poll Merino rams at the Kamora Netley Park sale at Sandalwood on Friday afternoon.
After a significant lift in average last year, this was topped by another $180, as overall 182 rams sold to $7200 and averaged $1508. This also gave a $1200 lift in the top price and three more rams sold.
There were 55 registered bidders from three states in the big crowd, with Landmark auctioneers Leo Redden, Gordon Wood and Murray Bullen having an easier job separating the rapid-fire bids - only five bidders failied to secure a ram.
Ian Daniel, Senior Park, Bordertown, paid the top of $7200 for KNP148, a big-framed and upstanding ram with excellent balance, carcase and a very appealing fleece, measuring 18.3 microns, 2.3 standard deviation, 12.6 coefficient of variation and 99.9 comfort factor.
Long-term clients Roger and Gail Duell, Murray Bridge, paid the sale's second-top price for the second year in a row. They paid $5600 for KNP255, one of three top rams they took at a $3667 average.
David Rees, Gunneramby Merinos, Ivanhoe, NSW, the buyer of last year's $6000 top-price ram was back again paying $4000 for KNP176, a heavy cutting 19.6mic ram with great substance.
Regular local top-end buyer Brian Boughen, Karoonda, was back in force. He was the second-highest volume buyer with seven rams, paying to the sale's third-top price of $5000 and averaging $2743.
Three Kangaroo Island buyers made their presence felt and collectively took eight rams. John Bell, Spring Hills, via Kingscote, paid the sale's fourth-top of $4200 for KNP294. Simon Wheaton, American River was a volume buyer with six rams to $2200 averaging $1700, and Jeff Buick, Penneshaw, took two to average $2350.
CA Hampel & Partners, Kapunda, was another top-end volume buyer, paying to $4000 and averaging $2400 for five rams.
