STRONG competition from studs and commercial operators pushed up the clearance rate and average and top prices of Monday's Australian Sheep & Wool Show ram sale.
The sale average of $3464 was up marginally on last year's result along with an improved clearance rate of 87 per cent up from last year's 75pc.
The two top-priced rams fetched $30,000 and $28,000, both exceeding last year's top price of $25,000.
The sale-topper was a Coddington Uardry Poll ram, which was sold to Pat Millear, Stud Park South, Willaura.
The Millear family fended off heated bidding to secure the 20.3-micron, August 2013-drop ram.
The ram made an early impression on Mr Millear, which he awarded champion August-shorn strong wool Merino ram in the show-ring on Saturday.
"He took my eye immediately," Mr Millear said.
He said he expected to pay a lot for him: "I look at a ram of that quality as a very sound investment."
"He will give us a bit of extra scale and productivity in the stud. He's got that really productive, white crimpy wool, and will be a really good-doing ram," Mr Millear said.
"We needed an injection in the Poll stud with a really productive Poll ram and he's going to be it."
The ram went to the AI centre on Monday night, will be displayed at Sheepvention and will then be shown at Dubbo by Coddington Uardry. Will be blade shorn after Dubbo and displayed at Southern Victorian Merino field days in October.
Semen from the top-priced ram will be available to purchase.
Graham Coddington, Coddington Uardry Poll Merino, Yeoval, NSW, said the ram was one of the best Poll rams he had ever sold.
"He's an extreme animal in terms of body shape and size. I've got lambs by him that look outstanding," Mr Coddington said.
"He has a very long body and bolder crimping wool than most Coddington Uardry Poll rams."
His wool had a standard deviation (SD) 3.7, coefficient of variation (CV) of 18.2pc, comfort factor 99.5pc and a curvature score of 45.
The ram was sired by the now-deceased Wallalloo Park Real Deal, and out of a Coddington ewe sired by Roseville Park-14.
"His genetics are in the purple for breeding on," Mr Coddington said.
The second highest priced ram was an Alfoxton Poll that sold for $28,000 to a Tasmanian syndicate. He was one of seven rams that Roberts Wool Merino specialist Damian Meaburn said would be taken across the Bass Strait.
"For the past four or five years, our clients have bought the top-priced rams or close to it," Mr Meaburn said.
"We're always looking for that unique sheep, that is a good-doing, fine/medium type to help keep the stud breeding operations go strongly in Tasmania."
The syndicate of Julian and Annabel von Bibra of Ross, Tas; John Taylor snr and John Taylor jnr of Winton Estate, Campbell Town, Tas; Bruce Dunbabin of Mayfield, Swansea, Tas; and Trevor Hall, Young, NSW, was put together to buy the ram, which the von Bibra family will keep on their commercial Merino property. The other syndicate members will have semen rights.
Mr von Bibra said it was very exciting to be able to purchase a Poll ram with impressive woolquality and quantity.
"He's the future of the industry; it is so exciting to have a Poll ram take out the grand champion fine wool ram of the show," he said.
Mr Taylor jnr said the "complete package" ram would be used in a Poll stud his family plans to register in coming months.
Vendor Chris Clonan, Alfoxton, Armidale, NSW, said the ram had earlier this year won supreme exhibit at the Queensland State Sheep Show and champion August shorn Poll Merino ram at Canberra Great Southern Supreme Merino show.
Mr Clonan said performances were in the ram's blood with its dam winning grand champion Poll Merino ewe and grand champion superfine ewe at ASWS 2012 and a related poll ram being the sale-topper in 2009.