Lachlan Merinos sell to $14,000 with an average of $3007.

Maiden ewes, who were full sisters to the rams on offer, were shorn prior to the auction and displayed to show their high commercial value with the top fleece of 17.1 micron fetching $148.35 and weighing 12.8 kilograms. They were sired by Lachlan 130 who sold for $18,000 in 2016.

Of the 140 stud rams offered, 134 cleared to a top of $14,000 averaging $3007.

Another 23 grade rams were also sold after the auction to $1000 averaging $991.

Whilst not a stud record, the top priced ram, LM33 750, was an August 2018 drop son of the $60,000 Banavie 333, carrying a 19.6 micron fleece, a coefficient of variation (CV) of 14.8 per cent, a comfort factor (CF) of 99.4 per cent, and weighed 122.5kg.

John Humbert, Kedleston Park Poll Merinos, Calivil, Victoria, who joins about 3000 ewes annually, purchased the ram after a long rally of bidding.

He loved the ram's dense, long stapled crimpy wool and his sound structure.

"Hopefully he will breed a bit of wool thickness and keep the wool on our sheep," he said.

"This is the first time we have been to this sale, but we have purchased semen previously.

"I like the cuttability and growth rate of the Lachlan rams."

Volume purchasers, Mark, Brad and Carol Jones, north west of Condobolin, now join about 2300 ewes annually on their 9300 hectare properties.

The family had been coming to the auction since it started and this time purchased 22 rams for a draft average of $3750 and a top of $5500 twice.

"We were looking to get a small number of rams this time but we discovered we needed more as some of our rams are getting older, so we thought we would get a head start on their replacements," Brad Jones said.

"We selected the rams for nourishment, wool density, wool cut and frame."

Commercial purchasers from Western Australia who run more than 20,000 ewes included Phil Corker, Boyupbrook, who took home three rams.

"We are after bone and structure, correctness; sirey types," he said.

"We look to early maturity. We want to grow out wether lambs, we want big growth rates with beautiful wool."

Elders stud stock auctioneer Paul Jameson believed the sale was a testament to the Rubie family and their breeding program.

"There are a lot of big rich wooled rams, a real mix of meat, carcase and wool and a lot of productivity," he said.

"It was great to see such a large crowd on hand supporting what the stud is up to."

Landmark stud stock's Brad Wilson said it was an excellent result.

"People are chasing body size, shape and wool cut which was in the draft today," he said.

"Rams went to Victoria, all over New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

"It was a really good day all around."

Having just completed the National Merino Challenge in Sydney with 160 students from around Australia taking part, Mitch Rubie placed second overall in the individual section, with his Charles Sturt University team taking the top honours for a tertiary group.

He was very pleased with the sale.

"There were a lot of familiar faces and a lot of new faces which is encouraging," he said.

"The top priced ram was outstanding even from a lamb. At seven months he weighed 79 kilograms, his early growth rate and staple length is great. He is a top ram all around."

Stud co-principal Glen Rubie said it was great to see a lot of commercial breeders and studs again from a large range of climate areas and states.

"We continue to back up our breeding goals of breeding for quality with productivity, with the majority of these rams at only 12-13 months old and averaging 107kg," he said.

"We sheared sisters of the rams in front of the crowd, to highlight these breeding goals. This year the ewe lambs averaged 17.5 micron, cut 10.84kg, and had a body weight of 71.1kg.

"We still have rams available for private selection, and we expect purchases to continue for the next month or so."

The sale was conducted by Elders Stud Stock and Landmark Stud Stock with Paul Jameson and John Settree sharing the rostrum duties as auctioneers.