Any stud principal in the country will agree that return buyers provide the backbone to a successful stud stock sale.
Bungulla Merino's Peter Capel couldn't agree more after their 82 per cent clearance rate at the annual ram sale.
"Whenever it gets dry and the market comes back, who's there to support you?" he asked.
"It's your loyal clientele who trust in your program through known success."
Over 89 horned and polled Merino rams were sold from 108 offered with every ram selling to a return buyer of the stud.
Over 16 registered buyers assisted the Manilla-based Merino stud to reach a top $4600 and an average of $1175.
The sale started strongly with only one ram being passed in within the first 50 lots.
Results were slightly back on last year's $1883 average and $4750 top from 86 rams.
The $4600 top-priced polled Merino ram sold to Alistair and Stacey Marshall, Burren Junction. The Marshall family have been buying off Bungulla for over 20 years and completed their draft with 11 rams to average $2181.
The Marshall family were also the purchasers of the heaviest two tooth Merino ram Bungulla had ever offered at a sale. The horned ram sold for $2000, tipped the scales at 120.5 kilograms and registered a fibre diameter of 20.04 micron.
Epping Pastoral Company, Pilliga, purchased 12 rams to a $1033 average.
Local buyer Tarrabah Pastoral, Attunga, purchased nine rams to average $1311.
Queensland-based buyer Jock Robertson, Dirranbandi, bought 10 rams to average $1020.
Ramsey Ag, Warren, purchased 10 rams to average $800.
The sale was covered by Elders Tamworth in association with Schute Bell Badgery Lumby, Guyra, while guest auctioneer Paul Dooley took the bids.
