GLENVILLE's 60th annual Poll Merino and Merino sale was certainly one to remember for the Smith family on Tuesday.
The diamond anniversary was celebrated by the Cowell stud with one of its best sale results to date.
In total, 192 rams were sold to an average of $2837.
In the main auction, all 170 rams on offer were sold to a high of $18,000 and average of $3094, while a further 22 rams were sold in the mini auction, averaging $850.
The main auction average increased by $173 on 2020, largely attributable to two five-figure purchases this year.
Glenville principal Daryl Smith said the result was "amazing and way beyond what was expected", saying the stud was extremely fortunate to have such good clients with confidence in the rams they breed.
Mr Smith said a buoyant industry and improving seasonal conditions played major roles in the success of the diamond sale.
"Up until the middle of June everybody was a bit nervous (about the season) but since then things have picked up and I think that's given everyone a bit more confidence," he said.
"The industry is also in a good place. When the mutton price is over $7 a kilogram and the EMI wool indicator over 1400 cents it makes running sheep pretty profitable."
Mr Smith said the 60th annual sale was an occasion to be extremely proud of.
"It's a massive achievement," he said.
"We're lucky that Dad's (Barry) involved and still has his input and we're fortunate that (son) Klay's really passionate about the stud and the sheep enterprise in general, and it looks like we've got a bright future ahead."
The sale started with a flurry of bids from fellow Merino studs and it was a regular top-end buyer that was successful on the sought after lot five ram.
Oak Farms Merino and Poll Merino stud principal Nick Lienert, Buckleboo, paid $18,000 for an AI son of $100,000 ram GP Smithy.
It carried a 20.7 micron fleece, with a 3.1 standard deviation, 15.0 coefficient of variation, 99.3 per cent comfort factor, and a greasy fleece weight percentage of 101.
"It's quality of wool and length of wool is outstanding," Mr Lienert said.
"It's the type of wool that we want to put through the stud and breed from.
"We keep returning and buying the top-price sheep or close to so that shows they're performing for us.
"They're adding style and class of wool to the flock and now that we're improving wool quality we can afford to spend more on elite wools like this ram has got."
The underbidders on the top-price ram were Whitehill Poll Merinos, Emu Downs, who were ultimately successful on the next lot.
That ram sold for $14,000 and had a 21.2 micron fleece, with a 2.7 SD, 12.4 CV, 99.7pc CF and 100pc GFW.
Other top end buyers were Alma Merinos, Booligal, NSW, who bought two rams via auctions to $7000; Len Kelsh, Venus Plains, Port Kenny taking one at $7600; Russel and Neil Loffler, Truro, buying three to $7000; Maramville Poll Merino stud, Ceduna, who secured one at $6200; and PJ Hall & Co, Jamestown, buying one at $6400.
While the first 30 odd rams rarely dipped below $4500 in price, there were plenty of opportunities for volume buyers as the sale progressed.
Volume buyers included South Gap Pastoral, Port Augusta, which bought 19 rams in the main auction to $2600, and another two in the mini auction to $1100.
Smith Partners Belton, Carrieton, secured 16 rams in the main sale to $2800, and a further 13 in the mini sale to $1400.
Buying nine rams to $2800 was WJ Sampson & Sons, Warramboo, while Mundallio Pastoral, Port Augusta, were successful bidders on nine occasions to $3400 twice.
Four different clients raised their buyer number six times - Hornsdale Props, Hornsdale, were successful at $4600 twice, TD Gosling & JL Jericho, Streaky Bay, topped at $4000 three times; JL Parsons, Kimba, bought to a top of $3200 and RJ Norris, Cowell, peaked at $2800.
Buying five rams to $6000, was CD Watson & Co, Tooligie, while Long Valley Props, Wilmington, took home five rams to $3800.
Las Ranges Enterprise, Streaky Bay, secured five rams to $3000, with Pine Lodge Pastoral, Cowell, buying five to $2200.
The sale was conducted by Nutrien and Elders, with Nutrien's Gordon Wood the man with gavel in hand.
"It was a hell of a strong sale from start to finish solidly backed by many return buyers," Mr Wood said.
"We had at least four studs bidding away on the front end of the sale and they're studs that have bought here before and had great success with Glenville genetics.
"The commercial guys that buy at Glenville also tend to stick with them because the rams perform well in all sorts of environment."
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