A MERINO stud who has recently moved to a new location has travelled to Belbourie Merino stud in Marnoo to buy only one ram, which also grabbed the top price at the sale.
First-time buyers at Belbourie Malcolm and Hayden Cox, Bocoble, Eumungerie, NSW near Dubbo, bid vigorously for Lot 4 Brown 985 to pay $6000 for the ram eventually.
The Belbourie sale sold 90 out of 100 rams for an average of $2119.
Hayden Cox said the stud specifically aimed to purchase the ram and was a great example of a dual-purpose sheep.
Lot 4 Brown 985 had an 18.6-micron fleece, a standard deviation (SD) of 2.8, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 14.8 and a comfort factor (CF) of 99.6 per cent.
"He really catches the eye and is pure around the muzzle, plus he stands well on all four feet," Mr Cox said.
"He carries good true wool all the way around."
Mr Cox said he wanted his purchase to go over several stud ewes as soon as possible.
"We're super fine woolgrowers so we will mainly use him for wool first but he's got plenty carcass and size about him to make him come back a bit bigger and a bit stretchier," he said.
Another interstate buyer was Stockhill Grazing, Quairading, WA, who bought Lot 19 Red 834 for $4000.
The second highest price of the day went to Lot 20 White 20, sold for $5500 to the SM & LJ Reading Family Trust, Callawadda, who bought nine rams for an average of $2166.
The biggest volume buyer of the day went to Camarina Farming, Fentons Creek, who bought 18 rams for an average of $1250.
Belbourie stud principal Paul Hendy said he was satisfied with the sale "considering everything" regarding a downturn in the sheep market.
"[The current market] is just one of those things, I suppose, but I'm pretty with today," he said.
Mr Hendy said he worked on a good balance of both wool and meat for this year's sale.
"Sometimes these things work, sometimes they don't, and it's all we try to do, finding that balance," he said.
There is optimism for a perfect spring in his region, with an anticipated drop of rain next week bringing about an ideal season for Mr Hendy.
"It certainly not ideal for those cutting crops up in NSW, but we are certainly alright here," he said.
