$10,000 top for East Strathglen

Strong buying support pushed the total average price up by $242 a head at last week's East Strathglen ram sale, held at the Sprigg family's new shed complex at Tambellup.

The first offering of a Roseville Park 14-sired Merino ram reached the $10,000 top price, bought by account CK & SS & ST Joy, of Dumbleyung, who was unavailable for comment.

Penned up as lot 2, the ram recorded a 17.2 micron, 71.3 per cent yield, standard deviation of 2.2 and a comfort factor of 99.9 per cent.

The Joy family also paid $4250 for another Merino ram.

The $6000 second top price of the sale was a Willemenup Dick-sired Poll Merino ram, which sold to the Box family, of Northampton.

Ron Box said the ram had size, wool quality and bone structure.

The underbidder on this ram was Preston Clarke, who was acting on behalf of Kolindale stud, Kulin.

The second top-price ram recorded an 18.5 micron, 77 per cent yield, standard deviation of 3.1 and a comfort factor of 99.6 per cent.

Also operating on the top line-up of rams was repeat buyer Gerald Saunders, of Narrogin, who paid $5250 for a Merino.

Kojonup woolgrower and volume buyer Bill Morey bought 12 rams to a top of $3750 and average price of $2483.

Getting the sale off to a good start, account Cristinelli Grazing, of Tambellup, paid $3750 for lot 1, a Merino ram sired by East Strathglen Mundy, before buying another four rams for a total average price of $3575.

Account Ian Douglas & Co bought a total of 11 rams for an average price of $1732.

Bill O'Keefe, of Gnowangerup, paid to a top of $3250, buying a total of 21 rams for an average price of $2036.

New buyer Barry McLeod, of Gnowellen, bought a total of nine rams for an average price of $922.

"I was selecting for bright white wool and more body weight," Mr McLeod said.

Landmark auctioneer Neil Brindley said the higher average sale result reflected the quality of rams on offer.

"Bidding competition was solid throughout the catalogue," he said.

"The ram line-up was faultless and wools were very uniform. The industry needs both wool and carcase quality."

East Strathglen Merino and Poll Merino Sale * Breed Offered Sold Top Price Average Merino 119 119 $10,000 $1801 Poll Merino 35 34 $6000 $1671 TOTAL 154 153 $10,000 $1772