SALE SUMMARY
2018 2017
Offered 75 72
Sold 64 64
Top $7000 $5400
Av $2320 $2159
THE biggest crowd seen at Flairdale Poll Merino stud’s annual ram sale at Cooke Plains ensured it hit new heights on Monday.
The sale average lifted $161 on 2017 to a record $2320, with Wayne, Lindy and Matt Lehmann selling 64 of 75 upstanding, heavy-cutters at their sale.
Lot 1, an 18.3 micron ram, topped the sale at $7000, selling to Lee Slape, Coomandook.
His nine-year-old son Tyler is keen to start a small Poll Merino stud after entering some of the family’s fleeces in the Coonalpyn Show.
Tyler said the long-stapled ram he was calling “Thumper” was a “big-bodied ram with crimpy, white wool.”
The 113.5-kilogram ram was an AI-bred son of Poll Boonoke 150026, a ram that was the Fibre Meat Plus class winner at the 2016 Royal Adelaide Show.
The sale-topper had many Australian Sheep Breeding Values ranking in the top 20 per cent, including clean fleece weight of 21.28.
Several lots later, Dale Paxton, Vivonne Bay, bought a 20.5M son of Wallaloo Park 130132 for the second-highest price of $6000. The lot 13 ram was among his seven buys for a $4114 average.
Two Orroroo buyers topped the volume buyer list with eight rams each, receiving two Rod’s Stock Blocks for their bidding strength.
Laskey Farming secured their tally throughout the catalogue to a $5800 high, averaging $3050, while Kevin and Scott Bartlett averaged $1513 for their eight rams.
Despite bids flying in the first half of the catalogue there were still opportunities for those from the Upper North to central Vic in the second half with 16 rams making $800 to $1000.
Stud co-principal Wayne Lehmann said he was very happy with the sale especially attracting four new clients.
“It is great to see the enthusiasm around the industry,” he said.
“The meat job and wool job is what we are concentrating on with our ASBVs but credit has to go to Matt who is selecting the bloodlines.”
Landmark auctioneer Richard Miller said the sheep were a credit to the Lehmanns with large frames, heavy cutters and bright, white wools.
“Strong competition between three to four loyal top end buyers saw a number of rams make $5000 plus and a couple of good volume orders kept things rolling,”he said.
Elders South East livestock manager Laryn Gogel said it was a “magnificent line up of rams” with solid types and quality wools.
“Like many sales the lack of ewe numbers had an affect on the lack of depth of support at the end” he said.
Elders and Landmark were joint selling agents.