THE 35th annual Westvale Merinos ram sale reached a top of $3300 at the Wollun property on Wednesday.
A decline over the last 14 months in ewe numbers coupled with a deteriorating season had a significant impact on the sale's clearance but the top end of the sale draft sold well off the back of the finer end of the wool market experiencing a strong result in recent weeks.
Of the 56 rams offered 23 sold at auction to average $1196, with all but one of the 10 2016-drop rams carrying 12 months wool selling to average $2000.
With a history that stems back near 50 years, Linda Waters and Chris Dunne, The Range, Enmore, secured a Trinity son for $3300.
The 2016-drop ram measured a fiber diameter of 16.4 micron with 3.9 per cent standard deviation, 23.7 pc coefficient of variance and a comfort factor or 99.6.
Mr Dunne along with Ms Waters join 1500 ewes annually and average 17.5 micron.
"We liked the sweetness, evenness and density in the wool," Mr Dunne said.
"The Westvale rams have influence the style and staple length in our wool."
The couple also purchased a 16.1 micron Streamline son for $3000
Guyra ultrafine wool growers John and Alana Tobin returned to secure two 2016-drop rams for $3100 and $3000 respectively.
With a flock based on Westvale Merino genetics, the Tobins liked the full body type, wool style and size of this year's ram purchases.
The first lot of the sale was the $3100 ram and noted as the vendor's pick for the sale.
Measuring a fiber diameter of 15.6 micron the Trinity family son was comparable at 16.1 micron for the $3000 ram.
Mr Tobin said the Westvale rams had improved the wool cut in their flock and did well in their country.
Volume buyer on the day was John Chappell from Dundee, a long standing advocate for the Westvale breeding program, who secured seven rams for a top of $1000 and an average of $715.
The sale was conducted by Schute Bell and Landmark with Graham Andrews taking the bids.
