SATISFIED clients returned to Ridgway Poll Merino stud on Monday to bid strongly and often, ensuring a total clearance of 155 rams for the Ridgway family at Kulkami.
Stud principal Ric Ridgway was "very happy" post-sale, as it was the first time they had achieved a total clearance of the larger numbers.
"We had total clearances years ago, but we weren't offering as many back then," he said.
"It was also really pleasing to see our clients get rams at the value they were willing to pay, but also interesting to see even some of the later lots go for prices up to $5000."
Overall, the Ridgways sold all 155 rams offered to $7200, averaging $2352 - a $39 dip on the 2020 sale result, but "realistic" said Mr Ridgway.
The sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus to help those unable to attend, with 12 rams selling online, also to mainly return buyers, including John Lamb Pastoral, Conargo, NSW; Stephen Allen, Goroke, Vic; Tim Philip, Maroona, Vic; and Simon Brady, Rhymney, Vic; while Daybron Farms, Wongan Hills, WA, was a new client.
The top price ram at $7200 sold to fellow Poll Merino stud breeder Robin Schwartz, Pindari, Waterloo, who also bought the last lot of the sale at $3700.
Both were by Gunallo 295, which Mr Schwartz said he was targeting.
These will improve our staple length further and nourishment, plus their good muscle and positive fat.
- ROBIN SCHWARTZ
The top price ram was an April 2020-drop, weighing 112 kilograms, with an eye muscle depth of 45 millimetres and 10.5mm fat depth.
The 19.2-micron ram had wool tests of 2.5 standard deviation, 12.9 coefficient of variation and 99.9 per cent comfort factor, while its outstanding MerinoSelect figures included a yearling clean fleece weight of 27.5 and yearling staple length of 13.6.
"We attended the sale last year and bought a pair from that same Gunallo family," Mr Schwartz said.
"These will improve our staple length further and nourishment, plus their good muscle and positive fat.
"Because we lamb at this time of year, which is miserably cold, we keep working on genetic fat and eye muscle so they survive the bad weather better."
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The sale's second-highest price of $6200 went to return clients and one of the sale's biggest volume buyers Craig Graham and Deb Stone, Glencorrie stud, Sandilands, who were restocking their Kangaroo Island flock at Duncan after the devastating 2019-20 summer bushfires.
Glencorrie paid handsomely for 18 rams in total, averaging $2972.
Their top price ram was the first lot of the sale - also a Gunallo 295 son - was March 2020-drop weighing 118kg, with a 48EMD and 8mm fat.
The 18.1M ram had wool tests of 2.6SD, 14.1CV, 99.9CF and had a 22.4YCFW and 6.5YSL.
Mr Graham said they were chasing "plain bodied rams, with fast growing wool and lower micron".
"They are good doing sheep in our country - they're not too dense in the wool," he said.
Another to buy up big and put a floor in the sale was GNB Investments, Lameroo, who took home 20 rams averaging $955.
A few rams sold at the third-highest sale price of $6000.
One was among the ram haul by long-time clients, the Hampel family, Loxton, who averaged an impressive $3725 for their eight; James Irwin, Balah Station, Burra and Keith, also bought one at $6000; while Colara Farms, Tintinara, also got one in a sole purchase.
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Also buying at the top end were neighbours McPiggery, Lameroo, with the one ram at $5400; JP&C Hein, Murray Bridge, with two averaging $4400; Altus Pastoral, Lameroo, with two averaging $4500; GL&SL Auricht, Pinnaroo, bought three averaging $3867; while CJ&YM Butcher, Meningie, bought four averaging $3700.
Other volume buyers included the Johnson family, Mt Boothby, Tintinara, with nine rams averaging $1689; Tara Hills Pastoral, Tungkillo, with six averaging $2167; KD&G Fagg, Mt Mercer, Vic, with six averaging $2267; LJ&SL Barrett, Lameroo, bought seven averaging $2386; SN&CA Paech, through Nutrien Murray Bridge, averaged $1883 for six, while ND&CM Smith, Loxton, averaged $978 for their nine.
Nutrien Ag Solutions conducted the sale, with Gordon Wood and Richard Miller at the rostrum.
Mr Wood said it was a really good result to sell more rams at a good price, while Mr Miller said it was good to see rams sell to all parts of the state and interstate.
"The consistency of the wool types here, they are some of the sharpest, whitest, crimpiest, stylish wools you would ever see anywhere - they're very predictable that way and people were prepared to pay for that," he said.
A buyers choice of 48 rams were also offered in a mini auction after the sale, with 18 selling from $800 to $1200.
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