KAMORA & Netley Park's sheep classer Michael Elmes returned to the stud's Poll Merino ram sale at Sandalwood for a different task on Friday, to operate on behalf of two commercial interstate clients.
And not only did he buy the top price ram at $5600, he was the biggest volume buyer on the day, notching up 22 rams during the auction.
Mr Elmes, who runs Smart Stock at Narrandera, NSW, bought 18 rams, averaging $1811, for new KNP client John Rae, Pentdale Nominees, Carwell Station, Quambone, NSW, who was chasing "long staple, free growing-type sheep with plain bodies".
He also bought four, averaging $3300, for return client David Moyle, Hamilton, Vic, who was looking for rams with "well nourished, white, well-defined, crimpy wool" that could tolerate rainfall.
The $5600 top price ram, bought by Pentdale, was sired by KNP 610 and weighed 108.7 kilograms.
It was blade shorn with a fleece weight of 5.39kg, measuring 19 micron, 3.2 standard deviation, 16.8 coefficient of variation and 99.4 per cent comfort factor.
Overall, KNP stud principals Paul and Justin Boughen sold 162 rams under the hammer from the 200 offered, averaging $2092, while another 23 rams sold from 54 offered in a mini auction after the main sale.
There was 48 buyers registered for the sale, with at least 40 going home successful.
The sale's second-highest price ram at $5400 was bought by BJ&SJ Boughen, Borrika, who took home six in total, averaging $3367.
The 113.5kg top ram, sired by Kamora Syndicate, was also blade shorn, with a fleece weight of 6.20kg, measuring 20.1M, 3.4SD, 16.9CV and 99.7pc CF.
Return volume buyers Cavanagh Farms, Tintinara, notched up 13 rams to $5000 in the first half of the sale, averaging $3539, while GD&SM Cavanagh, Karoonda, bought eight to $3600, averaging $2650.
Also buying up were CH,AM,DC&MJ Zadow, Galga, with seven to $2000, averaging $1471; DW&KR Francis, Mindarie, bought seven to $1000, averaging $943; while GL&SM Maddern, Rainbow, Vic, also bought seven to $2200, averaging $1571.
After the sale, Justin Boughen said he was relatively happy with the day, considering COVID-19 uncertainty and the recent dramatic drop in wool prices.
"We have had a good season here, but it may have had a reflection on the sale today (last year's average was $2528)," he said.
"But the good rams sold well and we were happy to see a few new clients, and rams go into new areas and states."
Nutrien Ag Solutions and Golding Livestock Agencies conducted the sale, with Leo Redden and Richard Miller rotating on the rostrum.
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