*79 of 83 Poll Merino rams sold to $6000, av $1988
A regular buyer from Pyramid Hill has outbid a large number of buyers and paid the top price at this year's well-attended Tamaleuca Poll Merino stud sale in Ouyen on Friday.
The top-priced ram, Lot 15, Tag 359 - was sold to regular Tamaleuca buyers A.H. Bear & Sons, Pyramid Hill.
The ram had fleece measuring 19.7 microns, a standard deviation of 3.2, a coefficient of variation of 16.2 and a comfort factor of 99.8 per cent.
Greg Bear from A.H. Bear & Sons said he regularly bought from Tamaleuca sales for 12 years and always looked to top echelon-type rams, and said the stud always produced quality rams.
"To be honest with you, there was probably other rams that I purchased earlier on that were maybe $1,500 less that were probably as good or better, than the one I purchased, but it was just the way it turned out," he said.
Mr Bear said an easy-doing, plainer, dual-purpose ram was what he always look for at sales, with a reasonable amount of density of skin with good wool, and much of what is on offer is what he is looking for at the moment.
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"I look for something that is well put together and I think it's I've tended to like the ones that are fairly balanced that are not too extreme, and a good bit of wool on them," he said.
"I think at Tamaleuca, they really aim for rams that have those qualities, as well as a good size, and the stud look for a very good early maturing ram that's that grows out well, and matures probably within about 10 or 11 months."
Tamaleuca's Danny Wilson said she was delighted with how the sale went and that crowd numbers were up on the previous years, which were impacted by the COVID pandemic.
"We had a couple of new clients come on board after seeing us at field days and recent shows.
"I think some have come on board and have purchased a couple of rams, so we're quite happy," she said.
Ms Wilson said while their average was a little down from previous years, the stud offered more rams than usual and that the interest in their stud was a good sign for upcoming sales.
Many clients from the far west of New South Wales had shown interest in their rams, which Ms Wilson said was a brilliant outlook.
"The season up here is wonderful at the moment... because of the rains we have been having," she said.
"Many of our clients are also back from Broken Hill, as they've recently had a weather break and are looking to stock back up again.
"It's pleasing to know things are looking up in places where it was normally dry because there was a couple of years where it was really tough for them out that way."
The stud will have a busy time ahead of them, showing and selling a further two rams at the Adelaide Royal Show this week.
"We have been on the road most weekends," she said.
"If it's not a show, it's a field day, so it has been busy times."
