FIVE rams sold for the equal top price pf $1600 at the 34th annual Trynow Merino stud on-property sale at Rockdale, Goolma, on Monday.
Operated by Bill Honeysett and family, the stud based on Roseville Park blood this year cleared 32 of 37 rams at auction for an average of $1069 effecting an 86 per cent auction clearance.
Four of the equal sale-toppers were Merino rams with two being the purchases of returning client Gerry Ryan, Semillon, Geurie, a buyer for at least 30 years according to Mr Ryan.
"I like the soft handling wool of these Trynow sheep, and it is convenient for me as they are not far away from my properties," Mr Ryan said.
Since the drought Mr Ryan now has 380 ewes of 18.4 average micron wool and cutting some 4.5 kilograms of wool through the drought.
He will join his new purchases at the end of April for spring lambing.
Mr Ryan's first buy was a 28.3 micron son of Try 3 by Roseville Park 110 a son of the noted RP9-14 while his second buy was an 18.5 micron son of TRY 454, and both rams were growing wool of 100 per cent comfort factor (CF).
Ross Gardiner, Woodburn, Goolma, paid $1600 for a horned ram growing 18.1 micron wool sired by a Langdene ram, LD16-950 by Langdene 11-75. He also paid $1000 for 20.1 micron son of Lachlan Merino 17-23.
Mark Doherty, Klondyke, Goolma,returned to pay the other $1600 for a horned ram among two purchases. The equal sale-topper was an 18.7 micron son of Roseville Park 110, while Mr Doherty's other buy at $1200 was an 19.3 micron son of TRY3.
Returning for the second year, Len Patterson, Allambie, Stuart Town, paid the $1600 for the top-priced Poll Merino ram among a draft of four rams that averaged $1000.
His poll purchase was an 18.5 micron son of Roseville Park 17-670, a son of Willandra GP while the oter three rams were Merinos by TRY 454 and TRY 3.
Mr Patterson is now running 600 Merino ewes of 17 micron average wool and cutting 4.5kg fleeces. Some are lambing now, but he'll join these four to ewes in November.
He said he was pleased to return as his first rams performed well.
"It has taken some time, but my wool advisor, Bernard Sheridan of Carmichael and Company, Wellington, had recommended I should take a look at Trynow, and I have returned and bought four rams," Mr Patterson said.
Peter Doherty, Roine, Goolma, also returned and purchased three rams averaging $1133 with two at $1200 being sons of TRY5 by RP24 with one growing 17.7 micron wool and the other 18.7.
Also returning were Ian and Judy Haynes, Springdale, Uarbry, who purchased three rams to $1200 to average $933 with the top of the raft being a son of TRY63by RP24, growing 18.2 micron wool.
Also returning and purchasing six rams to $1400 and averaging $1067 were Greg and Pauline Honeysett, Gunadoo, Goolma,
The sale was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Mudgee, with Brad Wilson, Nutrien Dubbo, auctioneer assisted by Greg Hundy, Nutrien, Mudgee.
