BIDDING got off to a heated start at the 12th annual on-property auction at Flairdale Poll Merinos, with the first five rams selling to a $3340 average.
The sale, held at Cooke Plains, reached a top of $4100 for lot 24 with Daryl Frahn, Murray Bridge, the winning bidder.
The ram has a micron of 19.7 with 15.3 per cent co-efficient of variation, 3 standard deviation and 99.7pc comfort factor.
Flairdale principal Wayne Lehman described the 109-kilogram ram, a grandson of Gunallo 204, as an "uncomplicated sheep".
"He was one we had in reserve for ourselves or for the Classings Classic Sale but we decided to put him into our sale and got just rewards for it," he said.
"He has very long-stapled, well-nourished wool."
It was this quality of wool that attracted Mr Frahn who runs 1100 Merino breeding ewes.
"He has just got a nice confirmation, nice wool and a good body," he said.
The second-top price was a $4000 ram with bloodlines back to Nerstane 78 via Turkey Lane on Kangaroo Island.
The 20M ram sold to JW&LR Burgess, Gladstone.
Elders auctioneer Tom Penna said there were some strong competition at the sale.
"It was very buoyant on selected pens, and there was some terrific buying in the $600 to $800-bracket," he said.
Mr Lehman was satisfied with sale proceedings.
"Our clients were happy they got the rams they wanted," he said.
* Full report in Stock Journal, August 21, 2014 issue.
