*Total clearance of 91 Banavie rams sold to $80,000, av $5489
* Total clearance of 89 Charinga rams sold to $12,000, av $4652
A large crowd of buyers attending the annual Charinga-Banavie Poll Merino ram sale witnessed a bidding duel that ended with an outstanding son of Neil 009 knocked down to a Western Australian stud for $80,000.
There was plenty of speculation prior to the sale at Berrimal with the ram only included at the last moment on Monday after broad interest in the Banavie sire.
Banavie stud principal Tim Polkinghorne said the ram had been displayed at various shows including the Australian Sheep and Wool Show and had generated a lot of interest.
"I am lost for words," he said.
"It's an amazing result for lots of work right through from breeding time to sale day.
"We've been working on some of these sheep for generations and it's really nice to have the influence on structure from the Masterbuilt sire and then Neil's on the wool."
Mr Polkinghorne said he had been trying to "plain up" their sheep.
He said the ewes were growing one kilogram of wool every month, and mentioned he would retain some semen from the top lot for his stud.
"We've got his brother, his mother and his dad and he will play a big part in our future programs," he said.
He said Merino programs breeding dual purpose, profitable sheep stacked up well against the inputs for cropping.
He said it was terrific to get the support of buyers from multiple states.
The ram was purchased by the Gooding family, East Mundalla stud, Tarin Rock, WA.
The 19.3 micron, April 2021-drop sire weighed in at 126 kilograms and had wool measurements of 2.8 microns standard deviation, a coefficient of variation of 14.5 micron and a comfort factor of 99.9 per cent.
The ram had a staple length of 118 millimetres, an eye muscle depth of 36mm and fat depth of 8mm.
Buyer Daniel Gooding said they had not seen the ram until the day before the sale.
"He fits what our clients want with plenty of width and depth in the body and he has very well nourished, white wool to handle a bit of higher rainfall and also dust," he said.
The East Mundalla flock was based on Collinsville and the new ram would "fit in well".
He said that on the dams line, it went back to an East Mundalla ram bought by Banavie that produced easy-going sheep.
Mr Gooding said they were aiming to reduce the flock's micron from 20 down to 19 micron and the new ram was the "perfect ram to start with".
The second top lot of the day was another Banavie ram, Lot 68, which made $32,000 and was purchased by the Stapleton family, Capree stud, Newbridge, NSW, near Bathurst, NSW.
Buyer Chris Stapleton said the ram had size and scale and the wool he wanted.
He said the Neil genetics had proven "very good" on the NSW central tablelands.
The double P ram had a 19.8 micron fleece with an SD of 3.2, CV of 16.2 and CF of 99.6pc along with a 105mm staple.
Lot 62, a Banavie ram, sold for $24,000 to NSW-based, Gerando Partnership, Bundabarina, Collarenebri, NSW.
The son of Big Dave had a 20.4 micron fleece, SD of 3.2, CV of 15.7 and CF of 99.7pc.
The Snuggery, Kingston, SA, paid $16,000 for Lot 61, another Big Dave son with a 19.7 micron fleece, 3.2 SD, 16.2 CV, CF of 99.8pc and staple length of 112mm. It had an EMD of 35mm and fat depth of 9mm.
The Counsel family, Warrening Gully Farm, Williams, WA, purchased the top-priced Charinga ram, Lot 15, for $12,000.
Buyer Shaun Counsel said they had been purchasing Charinga genetics for 15 years for their commercial sheep operation.
He said the ram was what they had come to expect from Charinga with a 17.9 micron fleece, SD of 2.8 and CV of 15.6 and 112mm staple length.
He said it would fit his flock's 19-micron average clip and 1000mm rainfall.
Mr Counsel said the ram's long staple length would also help transition his flock to an eight-month shearing interval.
The Counsels also bought Lot 16, a Charinga ram, for $5000.
Charinga stud principal Roger Polkinghorne said the result was "very pleasing", particularly having clients from WA back in person.
"It's good for them to be able to see the sheep, the standard and general type of the sheep," he said.
"The balance of the sheep and the standard the clients are very happy with.
"We are working on keeping the balance, structure and the wool cut, but also working on a bit more fat and muscle - trying to breed quicker maturing sheep."
He said the depth of competition right through the catalogue was very good.
Roger Polkinghorne said feedback and success of Tasmanian-based clients regarding mulesing and accreditation for wool from non mulesed had prompted him to cease mulesing this year.
He said if clients stopped mulesing, "we have to respect their wishes".
"I'm excited about the opportunity around marketing our wool under our own brand with that accreditation," he said.
"As stud breeders we need to look at where our markets are and one day mulesing could cease all of a sudden and we could have our pants pulled down if we haven't made some provision for it."
Charinga sire Lot 9 sold for $11,000 to JG EKP Maher, Spring Valley, Narromine, NSW.
The Neil son had a 17.7 micron fleece, with an SD of 2.9, CV of 17.5 and CF of 99.8pc.
It also had a EMD of 36mm and fat depth of 9mm.
The Mahers also paid $6000 for Lot 42.
Merna Farms paid $13,000 for Lot 78, a Banavie ram, that showed a 19 micron fleece with a SD of 2.8, CV of 14.8, CF of 99.9pc and staple length of 108mm.
Volume buyers included regular clients, DD Kaylock Co, Moulamein, NSW, who bought 16 rams.
Tasmania-based, Llanberis Pastoral, Hollow Tree, was also a strong bidder and bought 14 rams.