*116 of 120 rams sol to $4000 (twice), av $2204
A good crowd of buyers were greeted by a quality line-up of 120 Merino and Poll Merino rams at the annual Nareeb Nareeb on-property sale Friday.
Top price of $4000 was reached for a horned ram and a poll ram as buyers showed there was support for both.
This year's result compared with 2019 when the stud sold 122 of 130 rams, also to a top of $4000, and averaged $1992.
Stud principal, Richard Beggs, said the line-up of 108 polls and 12 horned rams reflected the the stud's transition away from horned genetics to the polls.
He said he was pleased with the line-up of rams, particularly the polls.
He said they were seeing an overall improvement in the polls throughout the catalogue.
"There is no one else south of the divide who can put up of more than 100 poll Merino rams," he said.
He said the larger penning gave a wider choice for more buyers to secure their requirements.
Mr Beggs said with the polls they were trying to achieve a balanced sheep with width and depth of body to produce a big barrel to maintain wool cuts.
There was a strong Tasmanian influence, albeit via the phone due to coronavirus restrictions, taking home 29 rams for three clients.
One of those was Panshanger Estate, Longford, Tasmania, which purchased 18 rams through Dale Bruns paying to $4000 and averaging $2580 a head. The top ram was a May 2019-drop poll ram.
Elders district wool manager, Andrew Howells, said client Geoff Matuschka, Tabor, who bought the top priced horned ram at $4000, was a return buyer and good commercial woolgrower who concentrated on buying and producing beautiful white wools.
"We thought that ram had such exceptional wool that we would go with the horned ram. We were really seduced by the wool on the ram," Mr Howells said.
Mr Matuschka also bought an August 2019-drop horned ram for $2500.
Major buyer with 22 rams, Yarram Park, was strong at the sale for a number of years, Mr Beggs said.
Yarram Park paid to $2750 on three occasions and averaged $1965 across the selection.
Also active was WISS agent, Damien Meagher, Hamilton, who bought 29 rams on the day for clients, including 17 for Karingal Enterprises, Elmhurst.
Karingal paid to a top of $3750 and average of $2235. The ram purchase total was more than usual as the property had recently purchased extra Merino ewes from Western Australia.
Roanoke Family Trust, paid to a top of $3500 for six rams and averaged $2750.
Rockview Partnership, Nareen, also paid to $3500 for its five rams paying an average of $2450.
Another to top at $3500 was the Englefield Farming Trust, Balmoral, who bought a total of seven at an average of $1892.
