STRONG bidding from repeat buyers in the New England region helped rams sell to a top of $2600 twice at the annual on-property Shalimar Park Merino sale, "Shalimar", Wollun, last Wednesday.
Forty-four of the 60 rams offered were sold for a 73 per cent clearance, averaging $927.
In the breakdown, 37 of the 47 Merino rams offered sold for an average of $903, while 7 out of 13 Poll Merino rams averaged $1022.
Two rams, Poll 109, and 107, sold for the equal top price of $2600, going to repeat buyers Bob and Brett Cummins, "Bardon", Deepwater, and Frank Presnell, "Frama", Ben Lomond, respectively.
Poll 109, by the sire of the 2012 Sydney Royal Show grand champion superfine Poll ram, SP Poll 703, had a fibre diameter of 17.1-micron, a greasy fleece weight (GFW) of 129pc, and a comfort factor (CF) of 99.9pc.
The Cummins family, who have purchased from Shalimar Park for the past 30 years, also bought a second housed ram, Poll P/P 147, an Alfoxton Poll son, for $1600.
Both rams will be joined to the family's flock of 600 commercial Merino ewes.
The second of the top-priced rams, 107, weighed 92 kilograms, measured 17.1-micron, had a GFW of 137pc and a CF of 100pc.
Mr Presnell, a superfine wool grower and Shalimar Park client for nearly 50 years, purchased the ram for his 350 Merino ewes.
The ram weighed 94kg, had a fibre diameter of 16.4-micron, had a GFW of 137 pc, and a 99.9pc CF.
The sale's volume buyer was Michael Fullbrook, "Taroona", Nundle, who bought six rams for an average of $800.
"Taroona" manager, Leo Ballantine, purchased the rams on behalf on Mr Fullbrook and said the rams would be joined to Mr Fullbrook's 600 Merino ewes.
The sale was conducted by Elders Walcha and Landmark Armidale, with Nick Hall, Elders, auctioneering.