Koonwarra Merinos and Poll Merinos top at $4750 and average $2212

It was size and frame with good stylish wool that attracted them all as they went toe to toe over the 110 rams on offer, clearing 93 to a top of $4750 on three occasions to average a healthy $2212.

John and Di Janetzki, "Rainbow", Henty, hit the first of the top prices, paying $4750 for a 19.5 micron Claypans 323 son with a 3.3 standard deviation, 16.9 coefficient variation, 99.3 comfort factor and 117.3 greasy fleece weight percentages.

Mr Janetzki runs 2000, 20 micron breeding ewes, which turns his wether lambs off at eight to 10 months and said he was chasing a big framed sheep with good staple length and also secured a second ram at $3500.

'In particular we wanted rams with good tests for width and fat and the top ram had one of the top tests at 45 millemtres for eye muscle depth width and 90 for width," he said.

Angus Oberg, "Leswell", Bowning, ha sbought nealry every year since the Merriman family took over Koonwarra and again paid the top money of $4750 for a Poll Merino ram in their draft of seven that averaged $3321.

Mr Oberg wanted rams with size and capacity, with stylish white wool, matched with good conception rates to increase their lambing percentages of their 1500 breeding ewes that are 19 to 20 micron.

The ram was an 18 micron Claypans 323 son at 2.8 Sd, 15.6 CV and99.5 CF.

Tim Davidson, "Yanterilla", Young, also paid to $4750 and $3250 respectively for two horned rams, where he was looking for a combination of frame size and wool quality in good all round sheep.

"In our area we need sheep that are dual purpose, that will grow out but cut a lot of good wool at the same time," he said.

"We currently run 1200, 18 micron ewes, but are pushing a bit higher in our microns as we chase the bigger sheep," he said.

Volume buyer on the day Ben Lane, Pastoral Manager for Windridge Farms, Young, knows the sheep all too well and settled in early 14 rams in total to averaged $1767 as he chased rams with good white wools that had good free growing lock structure.

Mr Lane said the Koonwarra sheep are renowned for being good on their feet and nice and square.

Mr lane said they were currently joining 5500 to Merinos and 2000 to Poll Dorsets, but are aiming to increase the Merino numbers to 8000 over the next couple of years, which will happen quite quickly he said once the season goes with them.

Other volume buyers on the day included Willows Cootamundra Pty Ltd, who loaded 10 rams at $2150, while Pat Dwyer, "Tipperary", Yass snapped up nine at $1353, DJ and DA Barker, "Wongalara", Ando took home eight at $2031 and Somersby pastoral Company, "Braeside", Rye Park, set the sale up from lot one buying six rams to a top of $4500 to average $2750.

Rounding out the sale, CC and SM Braid averaged $2375 and bought two horn and two Poll rams, while Bindawalla Pastoral Company, Crookwell, loaded seven at $1400, Bonnie View Farming, Grenfell, secured four at $1813 and M and E Grabham, "Peronne", Wigadon, paid to 44500 for a Poll ram in their three averaging $2417.

The sale was conducted by Elders and Landmark with Rick Power as the auctioneer.