FLAIRDALE sold Poll Merino rams to $7200 on Monday, with stud co-principal Matt Lehmann pleased to see a few new clients in the mix.
Wayne, Lindy and Matt Lehmann offered 77 rams in all, selling 68 and averaging $2201, with a number of rams sold after the sale.
"That is a standard clearance rate for us, which we are happy with considering the season," Matt said.
"A few regular clients from up north were either not buying or only requiring half the numbers, so the new clients, mainly from local areas, helped sales a bit."
The top price ram buyer, GA&JL Buchanan, Karoonda, bought another at $5200.
Offered at lot 6, the top ram - a Mumblebone 13-0850 son - weighed 116 kilograms, with figures of 5.16 post-weaning weight, 6.48 yearling weight and 17.74 yearling clean fleece weight.
It was shorn on February 22 and its 5.5-months' growth had a 4.6kg greasy fleece weight, was 17 micron, with 16.5 coefficient of variation, 2.8 standard deviation and 99.5 per cent comfort factor.
Mr Lehmann said the Buchanans were long time clients of about 25 years.
Landmark auctioneer Richard Miller said the Lehmanns were big supporters of Australian Sheep Breeding Values and had a number of rams ranked in the top 5-10pc on growth, carcase and wool traits.
"Flairdale produces a modern dual-purpose Merino that customers are able to shear twice a year," he said.
The second-highest price ram at $6600 was bought by fellow long-time clients, the Burgess family, Watts Range, Gulnare, who bought three rams, averaging $4333.
The $6600 ram at lot 3, sired by Flairdale 16-0224, weighed 115kg and had ASBVs of 3.16PWWT, 5.91YWT and 21.26YCFW.
Also shorn on February 22 with 5.5 months' growth, it had a 5.5kgGFW, was 20.4M, with 13.2CV, 2.7SD and 99.9CF.
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BA&DJ Paxton, Kingscote, have also been buying at Flairdale for more than 50 years and went home with nine rams to $5800, averaging $3644.
The $5800 was the sale's third-highest price at lot 23, with that ram, also sired by Mumblebone 13-0850, weighing 114.5kg.
Shorn on March 29, it had seven months' growth, with a greasy fleece weight percentage of 113.6, 19.8M, 13.9CV, 2.8SD and 99.6CF.
But the sale's biggest volume buyer was relatively new client, the Bartlett family, Orroroo, who attended the Flairdale ram sale for the first time last year, buying eight rams. This year they returned to buy 16 between Scott Bartlett and father Kevin, averaging $1112.
Others to buy in bulk were KG Feast & Co, Port MacDonnell, with six to $1800, averaging $1167; Ben Nevis Farms, Ararat, Vic, with six to $2400, averaging $1400; and Laskey Farming Trust, Orroroo, with four to $3800, averaging $3100.
Elders and Landmark conducted the sale.
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