**Rock-Bank had a total clearance of 47 rams to $10,000, av $3064
**Rockbank South had a total clearance of 17 rams sold to $3000 (thrice), av $1765
A bullish mix of local and interstate buyers pushed bidding at the 21st Rock-Bank Merino and Poll Merino stud sale with rams selling to $10,000 on the way to setting a new stud record of $3064.
The sale of 47 rams on the account of John and Rhonda Crawford, Victoria Valley, was conducted by Nutrien and interfaced on AuctionsPlus.
This year Sam and Chloe Crawford sold under their stud prefix, Rockbank South Merino stud, for the first time.
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The couple sold 17 rams to a top of $3000 on three occasions to average $1765.
Rock-Bank stud principal John Crawford said it was an outstanding result, easily eclipsing the 2021 result when rams averaged $1837.
He said the two studs combined put up more rams including more polls and that helped lift the overall average.
The top-priced ram was a poll and "we got exceptional support on the poll rams", he said.
"Overall it was a very, very good sale, but at the same time with some very affordable rams in the sale, which was good," he said.
Mr Crawford said Lot 15, which sold for $10,000, was sought after for his style of wool and big frame, wool cut and "fantastic meat figures".
"His meat figures and weight were very high for a 15-micron animal and well balanced," he said.
"It has taken us 20 years to get the polls to where they are and we are getting the consistency and numbers now.
"Next year there will probably be another 20 polls added to the list."
Mr Crawford said the polls were getting acceptance because of the quality of the wool.
"The top ram was the best-wooled sheep I have ever sold," Mr Crawford said.
The ram was by Super Rafer with a 15.1 micron fleece, a standard deviation of 2.1 micron, coefficient of variation of 15 micron and comfort factor of 100 per cent.
The ram went to a Nutrien account at Goulburn, NSW.
Mr Crawford said the volume buyer, B & S Rogerson, Glenthompson, was a "very successful woolgrower" with wool and meat because of the scale of Rock-Bank bloodlines.
He said the season had made it difficult to present paddock reared rams that had only been in the shed for three weeks to "keep the rain off them".
Representing the Rogersons was Fox & Lillie national wool brokerage manager Eamon Timms who said the client was looking for good wool and productive sheep.
He said they wanted sheep that held their wool quality as they got older.
The Rogerson family bought seven rams to a top of $5000 for Lot 28.
The ram had a 17.5 micron fleece with SD of 2.7, CV of 14.5 and CF of 99.8pc.
NSW-based Pomanara Merino stud, Bathurst, NSW, paid $5500 for Lot 30 a ram with a 15.7 micron fleece and figures of 2.6 SD, 16 CV and CF of 100pc.
Yaccaboon Pastoral, Shelford, paid to a top of $6500 for four rams.
Its top purchase was a ram with a 16.8 micron fleece, SD of 2.5, CV of 14.3 and CF of 99.9pc.
The Yaccaboon draft also included Lot 11 bought for $5500 that had a 16.8 micron fleece with an SD of 2.5, CV of 16 and a CF of 100pc.
Regular repeat buyer, K Wilde, Buangor, bought 10 rams under the hammer, paying to a top of $3500.
The Baker Family Trust, Shelford, bought four rams to $3500 being Lot 32 which had a 17.8 micron fleece measuring 2.6 SD, 14.3 CV and 99.8 CF.
Also purchasing four rams was JA & R Van Ruiswyk, Tasmania, who paid $3000 for both lots 14 and 40.
Two separate buyers from South Australia also purchased rams.
Rockbank South joins the annual sale
For the first time Sam and Chloe Crawford sold under their stud prefix, Rockbank South Merino stud.
Sam Crawford said they had lifted their offering from five in 2021 to 17 this year.
He said they wanted to put up numbers of rams to give buyers a chance of making a purchase.
Their offering sold to a top of $3000 on three occasions.
Volume buyer of the Rockbank South rams was neighbour, David Moyle, Randall Park, Caramut.
Mr Moyle said he was looking for the size that was shown from the South Australian ewe-base.
He said they knew the rams worked well in their environment.
The draft included Lot 54 at $3000 that had a 20.5 micron fleece, SD of 3, CV of 14.6 and CF of 99.4pc.
The ram also had an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 40 millimetres, fat depth of 6 millimetres and weighed 97kg.
