$6250 top price at Anglesey

An even line-up of Anglesey Merino and Poll Merino rams brought higher average prices last week at the Shepherdson family's on- property sale at Gnowangerup.

Strong bidding from many repeat buyers pushed the average price to $1593/head for 111 rams sold, which was up $157/head on last year, when the same number of rams sold for an average price of $1436.

While both the Merino and Poll Merino catalogues reached top prices of $2650, it was the Polls that had the best outcome, with all 72 rams offered being sold for an average price of $1743.

Despite the higher bidding competition on the Polls, Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren said the entire catalogue had size, wool quality, style and cut at the start of the responsive sale.

The top line-up of Poll Merinos had Mr Warren taking several bids on most lots, with repeat buyer Maurice O'Neil securing the $2650 top price from pen nine. The 96kg ram recorded 21.4 microns, a comfort factor of 99.1 per cent and eye muscle depth of 36.5mm.

Mr O'Neil said he selected a total of eight free-growing Poll Merino rams, paying an average price of $2012, to go to work in his family's 1900 breeding ewe flock.

Also appreciating the wool quality and body size of the Anglesey rams, repeat buyer Tim Beeck, of Glenorchy Estate, Gnowangerup, bought the $2650 top-priced Merino after securing a Poll Merino for $2450 and four other Merinos, buying a total of six rams for an average price of $2217.

The sale-topping Merino ram weighed 103kg, the heaviest in the catalogue, and recorded 23.7 microns and eye muscle depth of 42mm.

Mr Beeck said he selected for length, depth and wool quality for Glenorchy Estate's 1200 pure Merino flock and the contributing influence towards its cross-breeding program.

Back to secure another team of Poll Merino rams, Nyabing woolgrower Roy Dolan, of WP Dolan & Co, bought 13 rams to a top of $2600 and average price of $2211.

The Dolans' 3500-ewe flock continues to breed towards pure Poll genetics.

Peter Bradshaw, of Tambellup, was bidding with optimism after his family's woolclip sold to a top of 1000c/kg greasy in June.

He paid $2500 for a 21.2-micron Merino ram and also secured five other rams for a total average price of $2290.

Making a big impact on the Poll Merinos, new buyer Luke Staniforth-Smith, of Old Culicup Grazing, Boyup Brook, bought a total of 13 rams to a top of $2150 and average price of $1554.

Mr Staniforth-Smith said he was impressed with Anglesey bloodlines after inspecting some commercial stock recently.

Anglesey stud principal Geoffrey Shepherdson said he was very pleased with the sale outcome, with numbers sold on the rail even with last year and with a few more rams sold after the auction.

Anglesey Merino and Poll Merino Ram Sale * Breed Offered Sold Top Price Average Poll Merino 72 72 $2650 $1743 Merino 48 39 $2650 $1317 TOTAL 120 111 $2650 $1593