Alfoxton Merino stud, Armidale, topped their 27th annual on-property sale at $4250, coming close to doubling last year’s top price.
Fifty-five lots were sold from 63 Merino and Poll Merino rams offered for a sale of average of $1968.
The top-price ram was sold to repeat buyer Steve Harvey, Greenway Merino stud, Armidale.
The horned 18-month-old two-tooth weighed in at 118.5 kilograms and carried a 17.1-micron fleece, a 3.3-micron standard deviation (SD), 18.4 per cent coefficient of variation (CV) and a 99.95pc comfort factor (CF).
It was sired by Airlie 12-331, a horned sire which was the $14,000 top-price ram at the 2015 Canberra GSSM.
Return client of 15 years, Mr Harvey said after missing out on the top bid at Alfoxton’s recent sale in Armidale, he came to the on-property sale last week to find the brother of the one that got away.
“It was his size, confirmation and long staple length with good density that attracted me - I grow fine to super-fine wool and this ram is a bold fine wool – even though he’s bolder then my average, I will use him in the stud and see how he goes as an experiment,” Mr Harvey said.
“He’s a large free growing ram and I will put him in with finer crimping super-fine ewes in the Autumn and give him a try.”
The second highest price ram reached $4000 and was sold to P. D and A Reimers, “Pearsby”, Stanthorpe, Queensland.
It carried a 15.7-micron fleece, a 2.8-micron SD, 17.9pc CV and a 100pc CF.
A further two rams travelled to Queensland for a $3416 average.
Sale day volume buyer was Linden Park Pastoral Company, Caloola, who took home a total of 10 rams, topping at $3000 for a $2200 average.
Alfoxton stud principal Chris Clonan, said the sale was a great success given the sale average increased significantly from $1335 in 2015 to $1986.
“The rams are well grown and this is the heaviest draft we have ever presented,” Mr Clonan said.
“The top ram was at 118.5 kilograms at only 18 months of age – that’s a big weight and comparable with any weight in Australia at that age.
“This draft is a great reflection of what we have been trying to achieve which is increase our body weight and also retain crimp definition and white wool.”
The sale was conducted by Schute Bell, Sydney, Elders, Armidale, with Paul Dooley, Tamworth, the guest auctioneer.
