Rewards flow for Gunallo's consistent types

Bids flowed freely on the shedded and paddock run rams offered by the Schroeder family with 96 of 100 in the main auction averaging $1975.

The first seven rams particularly set a cracking pace all making more than $2500.

Two stud purchases kicked the sale off at lot 1 and 2.

Classings Limited's Bill Walker bought both which were sons of Gunallo 460- who also sired the stud's $60,000 record price ram at the 2018 Classings Classic sale.

Lot 1, an 18 micron ram sold to Lorelmo Poll stud, Walcha, NSW for $2600, while the following lot was knocked down to Stuart and Nancy Everett, Lone Gum stud, Crystal Brook, for $3200.

Another son of 460, Gunallo 180019, made the $5200 top price at lot 13.

The buyer of the sale topper for the second year in a row was Duane Simon for McPiggery's self-replacing Merino flock at Lameroo.

"Structurally it is a very good sheep with cracking wool and with a clean fleece weight (figure) of 27.4 and yearling weight of 7.9 it ticks the wool production and growth boxes," Mr Simon said.

The 20.0M ram had fleece tests of a standard deviation of 3.3, coefficient of variation of 16.2 per cent and comfort factor of 99.4pc.

It also had top Merino Select figures including a MP+ of 172, ranking the top few percent.

Strong demand continued into their paddock rams in the second half of the main catalogue with 47 of these 50 rams averaging $1613.

Overall, including the mini auction, 113 rams sold for a $1809 average but there were opportunities in the mini auction to buy rams for under $1000.

Three Vic volume buyers ensured the success of the sale buying well over a third of the catalogue.

Dalerossie Pastoral, Hamilton, Vic, who have previously bought at the Classings left their mark on the sale with 22 rams to a $4800 high, averaging $1823.

Repeat buyer Blairgrowrie, Willaura, Vic, often went head-to-head with Dalerossie but secured 10 rams to $2600 twice, averaging $2010.

CR McArthur, Glencoe Station, Hattah, Vic, took home six rams for a $1283 average in the main auction, plus another three in the mini auction.

Gunallo stud principal Brad Schroeder was rapt with the result in their milestone year.

"With the consistency buyers were able to get what they wanted, hopefully they got the right rams for the right money," he said.

Landmark stud stock manager Gordon Wood said the sale produced a very "solid average" without reaching lofty heights with strong support from Mallee and SE buyers and those from Vic.

He said it the progeny of Gunallo 460 and Ridgway 721( bought for $17,000) were consistent performers.

Mr Wood said the Schroeders were in a "sweet spot" in their breeding program breeding to a type.

"It is that reliability that a commercial breeder needs to be able to find in a place," he said.

"The sheep have plenty of carcase, while still cutting plenty of wool and yet remaining an easy care animal and good data behind them which I think is really important."

Landmark conducted the sale with Gordon Wood and Richard Miller the auctioneers.