Ashrose eclipses previous record with $8000 sale-topper

Sixty-three rams were offered in the main auction, of which 62 sold averaging $2410 - nearly $300 higher than the 2018 average of $2148.

The $8000 top price ram was bought by first-time buyer Luke Saegenschnitter, Sharlu Park Merinos, Truro, who said he had had his eye on the ram since seeing it as a "standout" at the South East Merino Field Day, held at Keith last month.

The 121-kilogram ram, which was part of Ashrose's winning All Purpose Pen of two ram lambs at the Elders SA Stud Merino Expo held at Burra in March, had an eye muscle depth of 43 millimetres and 12mm fat depth, with wool measuring 19.9 micron, 2.6 standard deviation, 13.1 coefficient of variation and 99.7 per cent comfort factor.

Mr Saegenschnitter admired the ram for its wool and good structure, saying it "stood well".

"It's got a square behind, a big barrel and is beautiful through the shoulders and the hips," Mr Saegenschnitter said.

He felt the $8000 price was good value.

"I'm only a small stud, and if I go to (the Adelaide Ram Sale) I have to pay a lot more for a ram of that quality," Mr Saegenschnitter said.

Long-term Ashrose client Buick & Campbell, Kingscote, bid actively at the top end, taking home five rams averaging $2800, including the sale's $4200 second-highest price ram at lot 11.

Other volume buyers were also repeat clients, with some having bought from the stud for more than three decades.

TO,LE&MD Miller, Nhill, Vic, bought nine rams to $2800, averaging $2189, while Delro Alaman, Woolumbool, bought seven rams to $3800, averaging $2414.

BL&KJ Staude, Bordertown, bought seven rams to $2600, averaging $1971, and PJ Leach & Sons, Bordertown, took home six rams to $3200, averaging $2667.

Ashrose stud principal Tim Graetz said he felt humbled by the sale result.

"It was fantastic, we couldn't have wished for better," Mr Graetz said.

He said the stud remained focused on breeding large-framed, plain-bodied sheep, with long, white, heavy-cutting white wool.

The sale was conducted by Elders Keith and Landmark Kingston, with Elders southern livestock sales manager Laryn Gogel taking care of the auctioneering duties.

Mr Gogel said the line up of rams was outstanding, with the stud's offering "getting better and better every year".

"The quality and depth of rams was certainly there all the way through the catalogue," he said.

"Buyers were looking for that crisp white wool, which they could find here (at Ashrose) and they bid up accordingly on the best end of it."

He said the dual-purpose nature of the rams was key to the stud's success at the sale.

"There was a ram selection here that was dual-purpose, with beautiful white wool on big carcase sheep, and all the way through, the rams had high eye muscle areas," he said.

"Most of the commercial guys are aware that they need the dual-purpose factor to capitalise on where the wool market and red meat market is."