![BID UP: Josh Keller from J&J Keller Holdings, Tongara White Suffolk Stud's Leigh Richards and Aaron Richards, and Lyndon Hampel, CA Hampel & Partners. Mr Keller and Mr Hampel each paid the top price of $2400 for lot 46 and lot 2, respectively. BID UP: Josh Keller from J&J Keller Holdings, Tongara White Suffolk Stud's Leigh Richards and Aaron Richards, and Lyndon Hampel, CA Hampel & Partners. Mr Keller and Mr Hampel each paid the top price of $2400 for lot 46 and lot 2, respectively.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/claire.harris/8d2a84af-1ef3-4b3f-a312-0bdd4ec3f9f2.jpg/r0_36_640_495_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
SALE SUMMARY
2019 2018
Offered 119 130
Sold 119 118
Top $2400(x2) $2100
Av $1319 $1160
A commitment to rearing rams with a good body depth and fat content helped Tongara White Suffolk Stud clear their entire catalogue at their annual on-property sale at Coonalpyn on Wednesday.
The Richards family sold all 119 rams offered, topping at $2400 twice and averaging $1319.
The top price rams were bought by with CA Hampel & Partners, Loxton, taking home lot 2, a 103.5 kilogram twin with an Australian Sheep Breeding Value post weaning weight of 15.7, PW fat of 0.0 and PW eye muscle depth of 2.1, and J&J Keller Holdings, Coonalpyn, taking home lot 46, also a twin, weighing 97.5kg with a PWWT of 16.4, -0.3PFAT and 1.9PEMB.
Both top rams were described by auctioneer Tom Penna as strong in figures and also physical appearance.
RELATED READING: Hamilton Run averages $2292 in first solo Poll Merino auction
Multiple volume buyers bid up to secure their picks, including HK Goodall Nominees, Loxton, who bought eight rams to $1000 twice, averaging $840.
Other volume buyers included Mt Boothby Pastoral, Tintinara, which bought seven to $2000 twice averaging $1750, Jackman Farming, Loxton, buying seven to $1500 twice and average $1200, and RG&R Legoe, Lucindale, who averaged $1260 for seven, to a top of $1700.
Both of the top price ram buyers were repeat clients, as were the majority of the sale's volume buyers, but stud principal Leigh Richards said he was pleased to see a number of new buyers present and bidding actively.
"We had 38 registered buyers, which was up seven or eight more than other years," he said.
The regular buyers are all top grade lamb producers and they bid accordingly.
- TOM PENNA
All but one of the registered buyers made purchases.
He said the stud stock, all paddock reared, had grown well, aided by the relatively good season in his area in recent times.
"The rams did it pretty tough over the summer, but the last two months we've done quite well feed-wise, and they put on between 400 and 500 grams a day," he said.
Mr Richards said the stud remained focused on low birthweights, fat depth, and good body depth.
RELATED READING: Rices Creek wool inspires $6000 top price in Mid North
The sale was conducted by Elders, with Mr Penna and Aaron Dix taking bids.
Mr Penna commended the stud on the positive fat content of the rams, which he said was greater than he had seen in a lot of other catalogues, and a particularly attractive trait to buyers.
"The Tongara sale is always a very good day out, in that there is a loyal clientele and a quality offering," Mr Penna said.
"The regular buyers are all top grade lamb producers and they bid accordingly, so it's a really good recipe."
- Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.