The focus of the Avenel Merino ram sale on account of the McCrabb family, Wanganella, was the loyalty of return clients, many of whom secured significant drafts of May/June 2018-drop sires to add to their ram battery.
Avenel Merino 41st annual production sale saw 94 of the 109 rams offered sell to a top of $5250 on two occasions to average $2069.
Buyers of the first top price ram were return clients Betty and Phillip Hall, Weethalle who's family have been purchasing Avenel genetics for over 22 years.
Ms Hall said, the ram was attractive for his correct conformation and heavy fleece.
"We have been on Avenel blood for many years, and they have been financially viable for us," she said.
"We were chasing a bigger body ram with quality wool and a heavy cutter with good comfort factor figures".
Their top pick was a son of Glenville T88.18 and weighed 99 kilograms, had a comfort factor (CF) of 99.2 and had a standard Deviation (SD) of 3.8.
The Wall family also purchased another Poll ram that tipped the scales at 101.5 kilograms and was the heaviest in the catalogue.
Robert Glenn, Edward Park Pastoral, Moulamein, was the purchaser of the second top money ram.
His selection, a Poll Merino son of Glenville 78211, measured 19.4 microns with a SD of 2.9 and a comfort factor of 99.6 percent.
Mr Glenn was attracted to the ram for his nice, soft-handling wool with great length and free-growing.
"He was a very well balanced ram with strong wool type and condition that will fit well in my breeding program" he said.
Buyers Robert, John and Peter Glenn, Moulamein, have been attending Avenel sales for over 40 years and are proudly a second generation client of Avenel.
John Glenn purchased nine rams to finish his draft to average $1083
Mr Glenn said the rams work extremely well and are consistent wool producers.
"We run roughly 4500 self replacing merino breeders so we need well structured rams'" he said.
Peter Glenn purchased six rams for an average of $1000.
Other repeat buyers were Maylands Pastoral Co, Rand, who secured 11 rams to average $1477.
Neil and David Allen, Rocky View, Mitiamo, Victoria, put together 10 rams for a top of $3750 to average $2575.
While Graham and Debbie Mott, Green Hills, Yerong Creek, secured eight rams for a top of $4750 and average $3156 and Newfield Farming Pty Ltd, Newfield, Rennie also purchased eight rams averaging $2250.
The sale was settled by Elders Deniliquin with Peter Godbolt, Landmark and Ross Milne, Elders studstock taking the bids.