*73 of 78 Poll Merino rams sold to $4750, ave. $2086.
The 29th annual Terrick West Poll Merino ram sale saw prices top at $4750, with 73 rams averaging $2086 in a 93.5 percent clearance.
New clients as well as returning buyers buoyed the sale held on behalf of owners Ross and Robyn McGauchie, and daughter Claire, Prairie.
The top price this year pipped the 2017 figure of $4500 when repeat buyer, Greg Barr, Burnside Ag, Lismore, bid to $4750 for lot 3.
The ram showed figures of 17.4 micron, standard deviation (SD) of 2.6 and 99.9 percent comfort factor (CF).
The same buyer also bought three other rams for $2750 (twice) and $2500 through Arcadian Wool, Geelong.
The second top priced ram at $4250 was heading for the drought affected location of West Wyalong, NSW.
Bought on behalf of Johnston Farming, Astral Eden, by professional Merino classer and stud advisor to Terrick West, Chris Bowman, Hay, NSW, the ram had a micron of 19.9, 2.9 SD and 99.6 percent CF.
Mr Bowman said the Johnston family had a lot of success with a Terrick West they bought two years ago for $3750.
The ram had sired the top seven rams at the Johnston property.
Another volume buyer was Landmark Ararat account, Rod Vearing, Ararat, who bought four rams
Mr Vearing’s top ram was lot 23 bought for $4000 for a 17.4 micron ram with 3.2 SD and 99.3 percent CF. He also bought the first lot of the sale for $3750, a ram that measured 100 percent CF, 18.3 micron and 2.6 SD.
He backed that up with a winning bid of $3750 on lot 17, a ram with figures of and $3000 for lot 9, a ram that had figures of 18.3 micron, 3.2 SD and 99.5 percent CF.
AE Saunders, Horsham, bought three rams to a top of $2500 twice and an average of $2333.
J&H Wall, Caniambo north of Euroa, stepped in to buy four rams to a top of $3000 twice and an average of $2687.50.
A large volume buyer was Ashens Pastoral, Stawell, who put together a draft of seven rams paying up to $1750.
Vendor, Ross McGauchie, said the result was good considering a number of regular buyers including some from NSW drought areas of Wagga Wagga, Moulamein and Cootamundra did not attend.
Mr McGauchie said despite that there were three or four first time buyers.
He said there was no stud support this year, but plenty of commercial growers.
Landmark stud stock auctioneer, Andrew Sloan, said the sale was a good result particularly with drought affecting a number of areas.
