Under grey skies and patchy rain, a large crowd gathered on “Calool”, Manilla, for the Bungulla Merinos 15th annual on-property ram sale last Friday.
Bungulla stud principals, Peter and Lou Capel, offered 108 of their July/August 2016 drop Merino rams for auction.
They achieved a 100 per cent clearance rate and a very healthy average of $2336, up from last year’s $2039.
The top price of $7500 was paid by Philip and Coral Marshall, “Tareela”, Burren Junction, who purchased Bungalla 318, a son of Syn Angenup.
This year’s top price exactly matched that of last years sale.
The top ram had a fibre diameter of 21.5 micron, with a standard deviation (SD) of 3.4, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 15.9 and a comfort factor of 99.0.
Across the sale team the rams tested with an average micron of 20.5, a CV of 16.1 and a comfort factor of 99.3.
Buyers Philip and Coral Marshall, who have made purchases from the stud for a number of years, were pleased with the quality of the ram they were taking home.
“We have been buying here for a number of years, purchasing rams for our commercial Merino operation.
“In particular, this ram is a big, heavy cutter with soft wool. For us the meat side of things is equally important, and these rams offer that as well,” Mrs Marshall said.
Rohan Clarke, “Appledore”, Barraba, made two purchases, including the second top priced ram, Bungulla 310.
Tipped prior to the sale as one of the rams to watch, the ram sold for $6000 and presented with a micron of 20.9, SD of 3.6, CV of 17.5 and a comfort factor of 99.1.
Mr Clarke has been purchasing rams from Bungulla for the past three decades, now running a daughter stud to Bungulla, after starting his commercial Merino operation with ewes from the property.
He was particularly impressed with the figures of Bungulla 310.
“Lot three had very nice stylish wool, with great density. A nice easy doing ram with a good deep frame. Very pleased,” he said.
Volume buyer, Peter McSwan, Brenda Station, Goodooga, purchased a total of 12 rams, averaging $2666.
Local buyers SKM Ag, Tamworth, purchased a total of 12 rams to an average of $1006.
Brian Brazier, “Wombang”, Euchareena, has been purchasing rams from the Capel family for the past 34 years, and returned to the sale once again to take home seven rams, to an average of $3429.
The McDonald family, “Woodlands,” Manilla, purchased two rams, marking their 40th consecutive year of purchases from the Bungulla stud, to a top of $2250.
Richard and Mark Walters, “Glenallen,” Duri, took home eight rams, averaging $2688.
First time buyer Rod Young, “Darouble,” Purlewaugh, purchased nine rams, to average $2395.
Paul Dooley Pty Ltd, auctioneer, Paul Dooley, Tamworth, said that this year’s offering of rams was the best he had seen from the Bungulla stud.
“Everyone should be very happy, to have the average improve by nearly $300 is a great result,” he said.
“It shows that there is a lot of confidence in the markets still, with both wool and meat doing well for people.
“This is the best run I have seen from the guys here at Bungulla over the years. Big, heavy sheep which cut a lot of wool,” he said.
Stud principal, Peter Capel, said he was humbled and overwhelmed with the result and the support the sale had received.
“People are travelling here from exceptionally dry areas and investing in our rams, which shows a lot of confidence in the work we are doing.
“Today we had good numbers of new clients, which is incredibly rewarding. As always seeing people return to the sale is a great feeling. The buyers of the top four rams are people that have been coming a number of years,” he said.
“The top four rams we sold today were as good as any of the top rams we have offered in previous sales, and that was reflected in the prices. We were very pleased with the evenness of the draft, and that was reflected in the prices from lot one to lot 108.”
As is tradition for the sale, the Capel family offered the proceeds of Lot 42 to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, donating a total of $1750 to the cause.
The sale was conducted by selling agents from Elders Limited and Schute Bell Badgery Lumby.