*103 of 108 rams sold to $8000, av $2759
Wurrook Merino stud hit a sale record for the second year running at its 22nd on-property ram sale recently at Rokewood.
Of the 108 rams that went under the hammer, 103 sold to a record $2759 average, with the top-priced ram fetching $8000.
The 37 registered buyers were active on the one and two year-old Merino ram offering, to lift the overall sale average to a new record for the Walton family.
Predominantly returning buyers, and several new buyers travelled from across southern Australia, from as far as Mudgee, NSW, South Australia, and Tasmania to attend on the day.
Looking for only one stud ram to add to their flock near Lake Bolac, James and Penny Davidson paid $8000 for the top-priced, Lot 3, ram.
Having bought from Wurrook for three generations, the Davidsons said they liked this ram for “the style of wool, his body size and physical appearance”.
Sired by W Supr Mon5, a son of Wurrook 5 (Supreme Monarch X Tara Park) the ram recorded fleece measurements of 17.8 micron, 2.6 standard deviation, and a GFW per cent of 137.
Another four generational return buyer was Luke Balkin, Glenthompson, who added 11 new Merino rams to the family flock.
Chasing well-nourished, free growing wool, Mr Balkin paid a top of $4000 for Lot 83.
Mr Balkin said the standard of rams bred at Wurrook, “was high and proven to be commercially successful”.
Adding another eight rams to the catalogue, Wurrook stud principal Paul Walton said the final auction tally was, a good result as the season is still fair.
With several new buyers in the gallery and the “wool market still very good”, Mr Walton said he was pleased with the sale average achieved, which was well up on the 2017 sale.