*49 of 68 rams sold to $8250, av $3922
An animal sired by the 2017 Ram of the Year has taken out the top-price at this year's Australian Sheep & Wool Show online Merino auction.
Nerstane N161, from Nerstane Pastoral, Woolbrook, NSW sold for $8250.
The sale was held on AuctionsPlus after the Bendigo show was cancelled due to coronavirus.
Nertane stud principal Hamish McLaren said N161 was "a terrific ram".
"I think has a real balance of structure and good even figures, which is what the ram has," Mr McLaren.
"That's along with a really, crimpy white wool, which is a really well stamped 66's count crimp."
He was bought by AWN Hamilton on behalf of a client.
Nerstane N161 had a micron of 18.9, a standard deviation of 2.7 per cent, a co-efficient of variation of 14.3pc and comfort factor of 99.7pc.
He had a curvature of 77 and a spinning fineness of 17.5.
In the catalogue, N161 was described as having an almost perfect stance.
"He is so proud and always has a foot in every corner," the notes said.
"N161 is a real 'meat merino' weighing the heaviest in our draft at 138 kilograms."
Mr McLaren said the cancellation of the ASWS was disappointing.
"We got to Deniliquin, 11 hours from home, heard the news, did a 'U-ie' and came back."
He said he was surprised at the price.
"I would have been hoping for a price like that, if the sale was live, and everyone got their hands on the sheep," Mr McLaren said.
"In these times, when you are bidding on line, we needed to get them into people's paddocks and put a very realistic reserve on them."
He said he withdrew several rams from the sale.
Victorian, Tasmanian, South Australian and NSW studs offered rams for sale.
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