Buyers on the ground and plenty of online bidders supported the annual sale at Etiwanda White Doper stud's Cobar property last Friday.
Even the Mars-like landscape that was the 20,200 hectare Mosley family property did not detract buyers and supporters from witnessing the stud's highest ever on-property price of $6000.
A 20-year breeding program to create the genetics in their sheep that would be 'Rangeland Ready' and able to endure even the harshest conditions saw a draft of sheep that were described by the auctioneer, John Settree, as 'peas in a pod' across the board.
Overall, the sale saw an average of $1202 and a 50 per cent clearance rate.
Strong support was shown for the top priced ram with a barrage of bids coming from the AuctionPlus interface, which at fall of the hammer found a top bid of $6000.
A twin ram with Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) in the top five per cent of the shedders database and had been used in the MLA Resource flock was sold to James Turnbull, a commercial producer with country at Bourke and Inverell.
Also securing a good price was an August 2017 drop twin ram who weighed 92 kilograms. He sold for $4000 to the Kirkby family, Amarula Dorpers, Gravesend.
TJ Pastoral, Goodooga, purchased a draft of five to an average of $1840. They secured a number of well priced balanced rams.
Volume and return purchasers, Jen McKay and Estiaan Kleu, West of Cobar, run about 1000 ewes. They selected a draft of eight that averaged $900.
"We purchased all of our rams five years ago from this stud and have served us great," Mrs McKay said.
"They are from this area they are used to the conditions.
"We are confident with the genetic production and how the Mosley's select what they breed.
"It has worked for us in the past and know it will work into the future."
Etiwanda co-principal Andrew Mosley was very pleased with the sale.
"A lot of our usual clients have reduced right back and we knew they wouldn't be here today," he said
"We feel we have the growth and shedding where we want them at the moment.
"We are going to push the maternal genetics a bit more with the fertility and reproduction side of things.
"I think the top priced ram needs to be used widely within the industry as he is what is needed; he has the frame, the shedding and the performance data behind him.
"The new owners are very keen to utilise his semen."
Mr Mosley's wife Megan said feedback on the day indicated people were very happy with the rams they had offered.
"We had a couple of new buyers including from as far as South Australia," she said.
The sale was conducted by Landmark Russell, Cobar, with John Settree controlling the bids.
