Springvale North races to full clearance

In the breakdown, all 100 rams on offer were sold, topping at $5800 and averaging $1541, with both figures an improvement on last year's result.

The sale-topper came early on in the piece, with lot 2 sparking fierce bidding interest, eventually being knocked down to L&AO Thomas, American River, Kangaroo Island.

Known in the stud as 'Felix', the sire weighed 121 kilograms, with a fleece measuring 21.4 micron, 3.3 standard deviation, 15.4 coefficient of variation and a 98.9 per cent comfort factor.

Alan Thomas liked the ram for its soft and long-stapled white wool.

"It had great wool but was also just a really well put together ram overall, which stood nice and square," Mr Thomas said.

The Thomases bought 12 sires in total, including three of the top four prices, overall averaging $2967, with Mr Thomas aiming for large-framed and plain-bodied sheep.

The sires will be joined to the Thomases' 3000-head flock of Merino ewes, with the rams being used until they are about six years old.

Mr Thomas has been buying from Springvale North for nearly ten years, and continue to return for the superior wool quality of the sires on offer each year.

"The Springvale North rams do really well for us on KI, we're trying to increase the frame of our sheep a little bit, so they do that for us, and they're helping us to increase our wool cut too," he said.

Also buying at the top end was Treloar Farms, Angaston, securing four rams to the sale's second-highest price of $4600, averaging $3450.

The second-highest price of the sale was achieved by lot 1, which weighted an impressive 130kg, with fleece measurements including 20.7M, 3.9SD, 18.9CV and 99CF.

The other major volume buyer in the sale was BT&KS Williams, Carrieton, securing 13 rams to $1200, averaging $885.

Eight rams were knocked down to Tikalina Station, Broken Hill, all at $700, while GK, JL&JK Noll, Wilmington, bought seven to $1600, averaging $1300.

N&C Klingner, Crystal Brook, also bought seven, to a top of $1400, averaging $1200, and DW&DM Williams, Carrieton, secured six rams to $1000, averaging $883.

Each taking home five rams were JM&JC Oates, Burra, topping at $1200 and averaging $1040, AC&MT Kuerschner, Orroroo, topping at $1400 and averaging $1060, and HJ Sargent and Son, Gladstone, topping at $1800 and averaging $1480.

Of the 23 registered buyers, 21 made purchases, and Springvale North stud principal Peter Stockman said there were no major buyers missing from the sale.

"I'm really happy with the result, we had almost all repeat buyers, with two new ones new ones, that's about the same number of buyers that we usually get here," he said.

"We're still getting some station orders, some of them had had pretty lean years for four years in a row now so their continued support is greatly appreciated."

The average body weight of the 2020 line-up was just more than 113kg, which Mr Stockman said was the highest its ever been, with the line-up also having averages including 21.2M, 3.3SD, 15.7CV, 98.7CF and a greasy fleece weight of 103.5pc.

"The rams have done well, it's a testament to their early maturity and great bone and size," Mr Stockman said.

"We'll stick with what we're doing, aiming to produce sires with big bone and size with bright white wool with plenty of character."

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Burra, with Nutrien stud stock's Richard Miller carrying out the auctioneering duties.

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Mr Miller said the sale outcome was a "pleasing result" for the Stockman family.

"This stud is getting better and better every year, I've been coming up for been coming up for seven or eight years and I think that's the best draft I've seen that they've put up, and the most even as well," Mr Miller said.

"The rams have such consistent growth, they are as large a framed Merino as you could find, they are heavy cutters, with perfect structure, and the bone and capacity of the sheep is a real credit to the stud.

"With the wool job being the way it is, and this area in need of rain, to still have an increase in average is outstanding," he said.

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