Repeat buyers as well as new faces from the local area and the New England attended the 29th Abelene Park Poll Dorset ram sale held yesterday at “Abelene Park”, Woolomin near Tamworth yesterday.
The Douglas family sold 64 of the 70 offered for a 91 per cent clearance and average of $1114.
The top-priced ram, Abelene Park 17, sold for $2000 to a new client from Teangie Poll Dorset stud Kerryn Ogilvie, Wongwibinda.
The seven-month-old sale topper was sired by Yentrac 169 and weighed 68 kilograms with an eye muscle area (EMA) of 27 centimeters squared and a fat depth of four millimeters.
Abelene Park co-owner, Marshall Douglas, said the AP17 ram was a very sound ram with good Dorset qualities.
“It has good muscling and good carcase attributes,” Mr Douglas said.
Teangie Poll Dorsets also purchased three ewes for $350.
Repeat buyers Andrew and Polly Locke, Walcha, purchased the second top-priced ram, Abelene Park 214, for $1900.
The 18-month-old ram was sired by the home-bred ram Abelene Park 270. It weighed 101kg and measured 41cm2 in the EMA and 5mm fat depth.
Mr Douglas said the AP 214 ram had the biggest EMA in the sale draft.
“It was an exceptionally well muscled ram with clean points and very good carcase shape,” he said.
Tony and Janet Redman from Inverell, were the largest volume buyers on the day taking home a total of 12 rams to a top of $1400 and $941 average.
Other volume buyers included; Longblow Pastoral Company, Quirindi, purchased nine rams at $800 each; Elbrook Grazing, Walcha, bought seven rams to a top of $1600, twice, and a $1385 average, and Angus Kirkton, Walcha, secured six rams for a top of $1700, twice, and a $1583 average.
In addition to the rams, 20 ewes were offered of which nine sold to a top of $450 and an average of $383.
The two top-priced ewes sold to Pip and Leanna Bell from Talbragar stud, Gravesend.
Mr Douglas said the family was happy with the results considering the dry conditions in the area.
“When things are trying like this, to have this results is very pleasing,” he said.
The sale was conducted by Pitt Sons, Walcha, and Davidson and Cameron Company, Tamworth, with agent Scott Newbury taking bids on the day.