A STRONG following of repeat buyers from three states ensured Ridgway Advance stud at Bordertown enjoyed one of most buoyant sales of the SA Merino ram selling season.
The stud continued its record of total or near-total clearances in its main auction, selling all 100 rams for a $1885 average - up $275 on last year.
The $6800 top price was the best in at least seven years.
Demand continued in the mini auction in the nearby ecoshelter with a further 53 rams averaging $770.
Bidding was fast from the start - buyers were keen to keep nodding their heads for the great carcase sheep with elite soft wools offered by David and Karen Ridgway and their son Devon. This pushed prices beyond $4000 six times.
It started with lot one - a big-barrelled son of Ridgway Advance 01 and the heaviest catalogued ram at 119.5 kilograms with an 18.3-micron fleece. He was knocked down for the sale's second-highest price of $5400 to long-time clients GW&TL Farr, Glengower, Loxton.
Glen Farr, who buys one of Ridgway Advance's top rams every few years to breed rams for his own self-replacing Merino flock, said the ram was a "real standout".
"I'm rapt with his weight, since he's still got his lamb teeth, and the ET part is important because you know the ram is from one of their top ewes."
A few lots later, the first of the spring 2013-drop rams stole the limelight at the sale's $6800 top. Also the result of the stud's ET program, the 17.2M ram was by influential sire Leahcim 858 and out of one the stud's top ewes. He had well-balanced figures including wool measurements of standard deviation of 3.0, coefficient of variation of 17.6 per cent and comfort factor of 99.5pc.
He was knocked down to Ian, Roz and David Rowett, Mernowie Poll Merino stud, Marrabel, who will use him naturally and possibly in an AI program. Ian said he was impressed by the "exceptional growth rate" of the 98.5kg September 2013-drop and his very good wool.
"He has put on about two kilograms a week since birth," Mr Rowett said. "To sustain that sort of growth rate throughout his life is really impressive."
The underbidder on the sale-topper was CR Graham, Maitland, who bought three rams to $4800.
Broughton Vale Station, via Broken Hill, was the sale's volume buyer purchasing nine in the main auction for a $1167 average plus 16 rams in the mini auction.
* Full report in Stock Journal, August 21, 2014 issue.
Catherine Miller
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
Stock Journal's livestock editor and South East correspondent.
