SUPPORT from first-time buyers underpinned Brenton and Jo Lush’s annual Corriedale Hills on-property sale at Inman Valley on Tuesday last week.
Corriedales achieved the sale’s overall top price, with seven of 25 rams selling to $1000 and averaging $657.
Poll Dorsets hit a top price of $850 twice, with 35 of 45 sold averaging $604.
The $1000 top price Corriedale ram sold to first-time buyers Stuart and Sharon Oliver, Gumlea Corriedale stud, Kingston SE.
It had a 23 micron fleece, with 20.2 coefficient of variation and 79 per cent greasy fleece weight, with a 32-millimetre eye muscle depth and 4mm fat depth.
The top price lot was the first stud ram sold by the Lush family's children Zoe, Nathan and Isaac, who began their Y-Not Corriedale stud in 2014.
Experimenting with the stud and Poll Dorset genetics for the first time, Bob Morton, Keith, bought one of the top price Poll Dorset rams, featuring 38.5EMD and 3mm fat.
Mr Morton recently switched his operation from the White Suffolks to Poll Dorsets to produce "a heavier prime lamb".
"The top ram had the length and meat I am looking for, it had early maturity and had the best figures, in my opinion," he said.
Mr Morton secured five Poll Dorset rams averaging $637.
The other top price Poll Dorset ram – with 38EMD and 4mm fat – was sold to return buyer Peter Filsell, Tappa Nappa Pastoral Company, Delamere, who bought four rams averaging $725.
The Poll Dorset volume buyer was KR&RA Sherriff, Keith, who bought nine rams to $700, averaging $588.
BE Pile, Yankalilla, bought six Poll Dorsets to $650.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Strathalbyn, with Richard Snoswell taking the bids.