*59 of 60 rams sold to $3600, av $1834
A SALE that saw 59 of the 60 rams offered sold under the hammer was a "happy" result for Melrose Merino and Poll Merino stud principal Warren Russell, Nurrabiel.
Top price for the sale was $3600 for a poll ram bought by Todd Burger, Mirridong, Glenthompson.
Mr Burger had only been coming to the Melrose sale for the past three years.
He also bought a full brother to the top-priced ram for $3000.
The top-priced lot was sired by Bundaleer poll V966 and had a micron of 17, with a co-efficient of variation of 17, standard deviation of 2.9, and a comfort factor of 100 per cent.
The ram ranked in the top 10pc of the breed at 14pc for number of lambs weaned.
Mr Burger said the ram had yearling staple strength of 2.1.
He said that as a fine wool grower, he was conscious of the importance of staple strength.
Mr Russell said he was pleased with the sale's clearance rate and the average.
Regular buyers Anderson Pastoral paid second top price of $3300 for the first ram offered.
The ram was a poll also by Bundaleer and possessed measurements of 17.8 micron, 3.2 SD, 17 CV and a CF of 99.9pc.
Volume buyers included regular buyer Beveridge Ag, who bought 10 rams with a top of $3100 for Lot 3.
The poll ram had a micron of 19.9, SD of 3.6, CV of 18.1 and CF of 99.8pc.
The same buyer purchased the top-priced horned ram at $2600.
The ram was Lot 13, with a micron of 15.9, SD of 3.16, CV of 19.8 and CF of 99.8pc.
AJ & KM McErvale selected three poll rams, paying to $3000 twice, to average $2900.
Also paying $3000 was JJ & KD Pola, who bought Lot 39, a poll ram sired by a Terrick West ram.
The 17.98 micron ram had an SD of 3.03, CV of 16.8 and CF of 99.8pc.
Another return buyer and volume purchaser was Ethandune Partnership, buying six rams to $1000 on four lots.
A veteran of more than 20 years of buying at Melrose was Des Guinane, Gheringhap, who this year bought four rams to $2600.