![The top three rams pictured with Angus Campbell ($22,000), Ashley Meaburn, Sam Phillips ($18,000), Damian Meaburn, Wool Solutions, Steve Phillips, Rick Power ($26,000), Paul Dooley and Tim Schofield, Elders, Cooma. The top three rams pictured with Angus Campbell ($22,000), Ashley Meaburn, Sam Phillips ($18,000), Damian Meaburn, Wool Solutions, Steve Phillips, Rick Power ($26,000), Paul Dooley and Tim Schofield, Elders, Cooma.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/32LqHZrHAKYLTZidaVK8Cqa/70db0e8e-c892-42cb-a5ba-5f0fd6501aba.JPG/r0_251_4032_2518_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It was an "amazing" sale of 278 Merino and Poll Merino rams when Steve, Liz and Sam Phillips, Yarrawonga Merinos, Harden, penned 280 rams for auction.
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"This sale is a tribute to Don Phillips," his son Steve said.
"He founded the stud and it was his passion and lifelong dream.
"The ram sale was always a highlight of Dad's year and we will miss him."
The top price of $26,000 was paid by Mark and Jodie Pendergast, Cottage Park, Cooma, while the average price was $3849 at the sale on Monday, September 11.
The Cottage Park purchase was a horned ET son of RP 72, and carried a fleece measuring 18.3m, 13.7 co-efficient of variation, 2.5 standard deviation and 99.9 per cent comfort factor.
The ram was in the top 1pc for Merino Production Plus Index, top 5pc for Fibre Production Plus, top 5pc for yearling greasy fleece weight, top 30pc for yearling clean fleece weight, top 20pc for yearling fibre diameter and top 30pc for yearling weight.
Mr Pendergast had seen the ram during the recent SWS stud Merino field day at Harden and was taken with his scale of body and style of wool.
"I've been looking for a decent horned ram that will cut a heap of very good wool," he said.
"It is hard to find a ram with that type of soft handling wool with a defined crimp on a sire with great conformation.
"With his scale and style, he is a really good sheep."
Second top price at $22,000 was another son of RP72, bought by Ashlach Farming, Oatlands, Tasmania, through Damian Meaburn, Wool Solutions, Tas.
Their new sire, a Poll Merino carried a fleece which measured 17.3m, 19.1 CV, 3.3 SD and 99.5pc CF.
He was in the top 20pc for Merino Production Plus, top 10pc for Fibre Production Plus, top 10pc for yearling weight and top 20pc for yearling greasy fleece weight.
The third top-priced ram, another Poll Merino son of RP72, was also bought by Damian Meaburn but for Rockford Pty Ltd, Bothwell, Tasmania.
The ram's fleece figures indicated 18.2m, 15.4 CV, 2.8 SD and 99.6pc CF.
He was in the top 20pc for Merino Production Plus and top 5pc for Fibre Production Plus.
His yearling fibre diameter was in the top 10pc, his greasy fleece weight was in the top 5pc and he was in the top 20pc for yearling clean fleece weight.
Returning volume buyers included JF and RJ Phillips, Jerangle, north of Cooma, who selected six rams to a top of $7000 and an average of $5667, Beggan Beggan, Harden, who put a draft of 19 rams together for an average price of $3210 and Marian Partnership, Jugiong, near Gundagai, who selected a draft of 12 rams to average $2834 with a top of $4000.
Notable sales included one at $10,000 bought by Steve Tozer, Main Range Merino stud, Cooma, one at $8000 bought by WH Mackay and Co, Yass, and one at $16,000 bought by DP and DJ Lawrenceand Son, Avenel, Victoria.
The sale was settled by Nutrien, Boorowa, with Elders and Elite Livestock, and Paul Dooley, Tamworth and Rick Power, Nutrien Stud Stock taking the bids.