THE Hampel family, Nadda, achieved a three-peat at the Harry's Well White Suffolk sale at Caliph on Friday, buying the top price ram for the third straight year.
CA Hampel & Partners secured lot 6 and lot 10 for $3400 each, extending their top end budget by $1000 on last year's sale.
They were among many who helped the Farr family notch up a total clearance at their sixth annual sale with 150 rams averaging $1285 - up $120 on 2020.
The top price duo were June 2020-drop sons of Days 17/354 bought for $12,000 in 2018.
Lot 6, which weighed in at 110 kilograms about a month ago had a solid set of Australian Sheep Breeding Values including a birth weight of 0.43, weaning weight of 10.20, post weaning weight of 16.02, eye muscle depth of 0.37 and fat of -0.88.
Five and a half kilograms heavier at 115.5kg, lot 10 also had solid growth rates with a Wwt of 10.01 and PWWT of 14.85.
Brian Hampel said Harry's Well rams were known for their fast growth rates and producing good solid lambs.
"Lots 6 and 10 were nice, strong boned sheep with a good big frame carrying weight right down into their rumps," he said.
The sale toppers, along with two others bought in the sale, will be used over Merino ewes to breed prime lambs. The Hampels run 2500 Merino ewes as well as cropping 5000 acres and running a piggery.
Wardle Co Broken Hill, NSW, were the sale's biggest buyer purchasing 31 rams via AuctionsPlus to a $1400 high and $1168 average.
Sale regulars GM&JL Obst,Wanbi, averaged $1260 for their 20 rams and N&T Rover, Paringa, took home 14 rams averaging $1007.
Another highlight of the sale was the Farr family donating the proceeds of lot 13 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Stud principal Kenton Farr said the RFDS had always been a worthy cause for their family.
"They do amazing work for people living in the bush," he said.
The lot 13 ram, which was shorn by Harry's Well patriach, 92-year-old Colin Farr in the lead up to the sale sold for $2400 to Jeffrey Hampel,GMRJ Nominees, Meribah.
Kenton said Colin was chuffed to have been given the honour of shearing the ram to be donated and finished it in 14 minutes.
"It's not a bad effort for a 92 year old who started his shearing career nearly 80 years ago," Kenton said.
Kenton said they were happy to see many return clients at the sale, as well as new buyers in attendance and on AuctionsPlus.
"It has been a tough start again this year in the Mallee, but it was great to have received positive feedback on the day as to how well the paddock reared rams presented," he said.
"We are excited about the future as we strive to continue the improvements in genetics and LambPlan figures of the stud."
Nutrien Ag Solutions Loxton-Golding Livestock Agencies conducted the sale.
Golding Livestock Agencies' Curly Golding said the Harry's Well rams had good growth rates and were able to thrive under tough conditions.
"Considering the start we have had this year, seasonally, we have an eager bunch of buyers here today at Harry's Well White Suffolk Ram Sale who were chasing Harry's Well genetics proven over the past 4-5 years under tough mallee conditions," he said.
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