'Tremendous' sire to $14,500

Tactics were well and truly at play, as both bidders tried to hold their nerve each time the hammer was about to fall on the sire's sale but in the end, the final bid was made in the barn by Secret Rocks Poll Merino and Merino stud at Tumby Bay.

In all, 117 rams of the 120 offered sold to a top of $14,500, averaging $2904.

Of those, 48 Merino rams sold to the $14,500 top, averaging $2920, while 69 of 72 Poll Merino rams reached $7800, averaging $2892.

Bidders Brenton Stratford and his son Brody selected the 113-kilogram ram for its potential to be a future breeder for the stud.

"It had beautiful wool and structure with a good horn set and it will breed on really well," Brenton said.

The ram's fleece measured 21.8 micron, 3.1 standard deviation, 13.4 coefficient of variation and a 98.9 per cent comfort factor with a 122pc greasy fleece weight.

Its meat figures were 6-millimetres for fat and a 40.5 square-centimetre eye muscle depth.

The Stratford's have been on Greenfields-blood for almost a decade and were interested in the top ram also for its Greenfields Hussey family connection.

"The Hussey family have bred really well for us. The bloodline offers lovely, rich wool and throws good heads and noses," Brenton said.

The Stratfords target potential sires with medium wool figures to match their stud ewes 21.5M average.

"We want to maintain that micron and Greenfields genetics have done that for us," Brenton said.

The stud also secured a $9000 Greenfields ram at the 2021 Adelaide Ram Sale.

Greenfields stud co-principal Robert Sullivan said the first couple of runs of the sale gained stud interest and helped with bidding competition.

"It was a strong sale and good value in the second half of the sale."

Mr Sullivan said he did not expect the ram to make $14,500 but there was plenty of interest prior to the auction.

The $9000 second-highest price Merino ram was bought by JF Peskett & Son through Elders Cunnamulla.

Nutrien Ag Solutions auctioneer Leo Redden said the stud would have to take the title of the most "pre eminent Merino sheep" in the state.

"The Merino sheep sold better than the Poll Merino sheep, based on quality.

"I cannot remember the last time that happened at a sale I have auctioned at - just outstanding Merino sheep."

Elders Tony Wetherall said the stud had attracted plenty of commercial and stud support at the sale.

"They all came together on the day and gave the stud a fantastic result.

"The top end commercial support ensured the consistency - the top price ram was tremendous.

"The depth of quality was evident."

The stud's introduction of new bloodline, Imperial 351, proved to be popular with buyers and helped Greenfields to a $7800 Poll Merino top price.

Buyer of 30 years, Anthony Burge, Ceduna, and Bradley Burge, Cummins, secured the 124-kilogram ram.

It had 20M wool, 3SD, 15CV and 99.6CF with 120pc GFW, while it measured 43EMD and 7mm fat.

The Burge's were competitive bidders and engaged in quite the tussle with online buyers to secures rams at the top end of the sale.

Anthony bids at the top end of the sale to secure replacement rams for his station at Gawler River because he breeds rams.

"I put aside a mob of ewe hoggets and Greenfields rams are put over them.

The station has about 14,000 ewes and a further 4000 at Ceduna and Anthony hoped that by sourcing a "better type" of ram, ewes will continue to cut plenty of white, crimpy wool.

By the fall of the hammer on the final lot, the Burge's bought 11 rams in total, averaging $4636, including the $7000 second-highest Poll Merino ram.

JR Clark, Finley, NSW, dominated AuctionsPlus bidding and secured seven rams to $4800, averaging $2771, South Gum Creek Partnership, Burra, bought eight to $3400, averaging $2150, while Kilroy Pastoral through Elders Cummins bought seven to $3000, averaging $2371.

GG Cant & Sons through Elders Cleve bought seven rams to $3200, averaging $2457 and Earle & Co through Elders Burra bought five to $4000, averaging $3280 and.

A mini auction of 40 rams, had 38 sold, with Poll Merino rams selling to a top of $1600, averaging $1100 and Merinos sold to $1600, averaging $1180. A selection of stud ewes were also on offer, with full clearance of 76 Poll Merino ewes that sold to $270, averaging $258 and 47 Merino ewes that topped at $305, averaging $302.

The sale was conducted by Burra's Elders and Nutrien Ag with Tony Wetherall and Leo Redden auctioneering.

RELATED: Karcultaby recognised for professionalism at school wether comp