*101 of 125 rams sold to $26,000, av $5099
It was a solid result for the Merino ram sale in Bendigo with averages a snip above 2018 numbers.
By the numbers there were 125 rams offered with 101 sold under the hammer to a top of $26,000 on three occasions.
The trend among breeders and buyers for poll genetics was again evident with two of the three lots being poll rams while a third made $21,000.
The top horned ram also received it's share of demand to meet the top of $26,000.
The top this year was $6000 above the 2018 top.
Landmark stud stock, Andrew Sloan, said the sale was strong for the best sheep.
He said the clearance rate was similar to 2018.
"It wasn't a free flowing sale and we had to work for every bid," he said.
"You have to remember that there was much buying from north of the border. In the past they have bought a number of rams out of Bendigo."
First to reach the $26,000 mark was a poll ram from the Alfoxton stud, of Chris Clonan, Armidale, NSW.
The 16.5 micron sire with a comfort factor of 99.9 per cent, was bought by a syndicate representing some regular Tasmanian visitors to the mainland, Georgie Wallace, Trefusis stud, and Trevor and Siri Hall, Young, NSW.
Ms Wallace said that since starting a poll stud two years ago, they had used Alfoxton semen and the progeny had done "very well".
"We wanted another good, physical ram that was big and upstanding, structurally correct and well covered," she said.
"This ram will be a very valuable addition and will fit in with producing for our environment with its extremely white wool which is critical in this environment.
"The ram will have semen collected now because we have orders already and also as an insurance policy."
Ms Wallace said the ram would be used over around 80 selected stud ewes in March.
Trevor Hall said this was the third ram he had bought at Bendigo from Alfoxton since 2015.
He bought a Samson ram for $28,000 in 2015 and a Centurion ram for $30,000 in 2017 and now a Caesar ram this year.
The ram's breeder Chris Clonan said all three rams that Mr Hall's syndicates had bought were out of the same ewe - 10197. The ewe was grand champion Poll Merino in 2012 at Bendigo.
The second poll ram that made $26,000 was lot 49 from Robert Harding's Glendonald stud, Nhill.
The ram was a 22 micron sire with comfort factor of 99.2pc.
Buyer Felicity Brady, Stavely stud, Stavely, said they had been admiring the Glendonald sheep for a few years.
This ram went back to a West Plains Mercenary ram and those bloodlines did "very well" in the western district climate, she said.
The third ram to reach $26,000 was sold account the Glenpaen stud of Rod and Sue Miller and family, Brimpaen.
The 17.5 micron ram had been judged supreme champion of the show.
Interested bidders had to wait until lot 113 for the ram when it was knocked down to a syndicate including Jono Merriman, Merrignee, Craig Trickey, Coryule, and Chris Clonan, Alfoxton.
First time vendors at this sale, Clinton Blight, Seymour Park, Narrogin, WA, offered one ram that sold as the final ram of the catelogue.
The poll ram's sire Seymour Park 68 was the grand champion fine/medium ram at Bendigo in 2018.
Mr Blight said the sale had potential to be the premier ram sale, but breeders needed to support it.
The 19.7 micron ram had a comfort factor of 99.9pc.
The buyer was Bill Cowan, Crichton Vale stud, Narembeen, WA.
Mr Blight said the buyer had previously bought sires from Seymour Park.
A syndicate including Merrignee, Conrayn and Grassy Creek paid $18,000 for a horned ram sold account Garry Cox, Langdene, Dunedoo, NSW.
The 17 micron ram was a July 2017 drop with a comfort factor of 99.9pc.