A half-brother to the $60,000 record-breaking ram from the 2018 Classings Classic sale took top honours at the multi-vendor sale on Monday.
It was the sixth time Mallee stud Gunallo has topped the sale at the Murray Bridge racecourse with stud principals Ray, Judy, Brad and Jade Schroeder elated with the success of another son of Gunallo 460 (Sir Cumference).
"It (Gunallo 180081) was one of the top four rams we pencilled in for ourselves, but as the year went on and we worked out what we needed we decided to sell it," Brad Schroeder said.
"It was ET-bred from one of our top ewes, which was also sired by (Ridgway) 721 which has produced many of the top rams today."
The lot 2 ram sold for $20,000 to Brenton and Jane Smith, Calcookara stud, Cowell, after being pushed all the way by underbidders McPiggery, Lameroo.
Related reading: Gunallo gem makes $5200 in stud's ruby anniversary sale
Mr Smith said he expected to pay a high price for the outstanding 112-kilogram ram which had been genetically tested as double polled.
"It has got a pretty much faultless constitution with beautiful purity of muzzle, good bone structure and beautiful bold crimping wool," he said.
The April 2018-drop, 19.5-micron ram had a wool test of 2.9 standard deviation, 14.9 coefficient of variation, along with impressive Australian Sheep Breeding Values, including a yearling clean fleece weight value of 23.5.
Gunallo sold eight rams in total, averaging $6969.
While not hitting the lofty heights of last year's Classings Classic, the sale organised by Bill and Rose Walker nearly mirrored 2018's average.
Twenty studs from SA, Vic, NSW and WA sold 82 of 83 Poll Merino rams offered for a $5136 average, with nearly 90 bidders registered from across Australia.
Eight rams made $10,000 or more, but there was also plenty making $2000 to $3000.
To come out with nearly the same average (as last year) with $40,000 missing in the top price is a mammoth sale.
- GORDON WOOD
First-time vendors Margie, Georgie and Sandy Pye from Caroonboon stud at Wanganella in the NSW Riverina received the $18,000 second-highest price for the final lot of the sale, lot 83.
They were invited to offer the 18.4M ram after Mr Walker spotted it at the recent Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic.
The AI-bred son of White River 160546 had an opening bid of $16,000 before being knocked down to Darren and Jodie O'Brien, O'Brien stud, Kyancutta, seconds later.
They were impressed with its structure, long body and carcase merit.
The Michael family, Leahcim stud, Snowtown, sold a 14.7M ram for $13,000 to Westwood Poll, Esperance, WA.
Landmark auctioneer Gordon Wood said it was one of the highest clearance rates in recent times.
"It is never an easy job to get a full clearance or near with so many vendors and somewhat different sheep from different areas, but that's what we've done," he said. "To come out with nearly the same average (as last year) with $40,000 missing in the top price is a mammoth sale."
Elders and Landmark conducted the sale with Tony Wetherall and Mr Wood the auctioneers.
Buyers chase large Ridgway Advance offering
Bordertown's Ridgway Advance stud was the biggest seller at the 2019 Classings Classic, offering nearly one-third of the catalogue and reaching $12,000 twice.
Both of these rams, offered by David, Karen and Devon Ridgway, were sons of Ridgway Advance 090 which has bred a quarter of the stud's 2019 sale rams.
Lot 9, a 19.9-micron ram, sold to O'Brien Poll Merino stud, Kyancutta, while the best of the spring 2018-drops, lot 45, a 16.2M ram also made $12,000 to Daybron Farms, Wongan Hills, WA.
Overall, 25 Ridgway Advance rams averaged $5714.
We have 80-plus rams here that address the mulesing debate and six-month shearing if you want to be.
- BILL WALKER
Ric, Gail and Matt Ridgway, Kulkami, also had a large team with their seven Ridgway rams topping at $13,000 for an upstanding 19.4M ram bought by O'Brien stud, and averaging $7429.
Volume buyers included the Graham family, Glencorrie, Maitland, with four rams to $8000, averaging $4625, and Stobo Farms, Miga Lake, Vic, which bought three rams to $7250, averaging $6083.
Classings Classic sale host Bill Walker said the offering was the most consistent quality in the sale's history, with vendors all progressive in breeding sheep that address industry issues.
"We have 80-plus rams here that address the mulesing debate and six-month shearing if you want to be," he said.
"The announcement by Country Road last week that they are only going to buy non-mulesed wool will spread like wildfire. We can't afford skin, we can't afford tight, heavy cutters, because there is no such thing."
He said the sale went "as he expected" with no $60,000 ram like last year, but many studs having a "winner".
He made special mention of the three new studs - Caroonboon, Wanganella, NSW; Baderloo, Spalding, and WA stud Challara.
A significant private sale was also announced on the day, with the Superior Wool Syndicate securing a stud reserve which had been on display from the Sohnic stud, Marnoo, Vic, for $30,000.
The 20M ram was sired by a Lucernbrae ram that Sohnic bought at the 2017 Classings Classic sale.
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