IT has been an emotional year full of highs and lows for the Davies family but their Wrattenbullie Poll Dorset stud's annual ram sale on Monday at the Naracoorte Showgrounds provided another high.
Less than six months after the passing of stud founder Rod Davies there was a total clearance of the 132 rams for a very credible $1404 average.
Not surprisingly the sale average was back from 2022's $1940 average when 121 rams sold.
There was particularly strong interest in the six stud lots no doubt helped by stud winning supreme Poll Dorset exhibit at the recent 2023 Royal Adelaide Show with a ram they have retained.
Lot 3, Wrattenbullie 70 which was sired by Derrynock 156 sold for $6200 to second year buyers Glen Devon stud, Two Wells.
Former stud breeder Alan Schinckel put in the winning bid for the Hart family who were on the phone.
This price was surpassed the following lot when R&J Kester, Kybybolite, paid $6700- ultimately the sale high- for lot 4, Wrattenbullie 47.
This was well short of the $9500 record price paid in 2022.
The May 2022 drop which was by one of the stud's own rams had a Terminal Carcase Production index of 143.34.
IL&JM Fennell, Wongabeena stud, Penola, who were underbidder on both these rams were successful on lot 7 for $2500.
Largely repeat flock ram buyers were not afraid to raise their hands high
The Davies family donated the proceeds in lot 23 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Leukemia Foundation after Rod's short battle with the disease.
Simpson Farming, Keith, paid $2200 for this ram as one of their six buys. It was just shy of the highest price flock ram.
This was $2300 paid for lot 12 which had been elevated in the catalogue to the first of the flock rams offered. It sold to Cooneyanna Props, Binnum.
Long time supporters LS Johnson & Son, Naracoorte, were the sale's biggest buyer securing 15 rams for a $1447 average. This included lot 6 in the stud ram offering for $2400.
Morundah Props, Bool Lagoon, bought nine rams to $1700 multiple times for a $1611 average.
Stud principal Brad Davies was pleased with the repeat support and that there were rams for all budgets in the sale.
He said it had been difficult time for the family and thanked everyone that had supported them.
"Nothing will change, we will still be breeding the same type sheep with good structure," he said.
PPHS and SAL Livestock were joint selling agents. PPHS's Richard Harvie said it was a "very solid sale".
"They have come out of it with a little bit of a higher average than they may have expected but at the end of the day everyone is talking clearance, 100 per cent clearance, you can't ask for much more than that," he said.
"Right from lot 1 to lot 132 the rams presented in very good order."
SAL Livestock auctioneer Matt MacDonald -who added up the bids with PPHS's Josh Manser - said the family had "stuck to the task" in a challenging year.
He said the rams presented very evenly with plenty of length and good structure in the offering.
"A few of the better figured rams attracted a bit of attention and there was a good run of those July and August drop rams that attracted a bit of attention too," he said.
