RAMS sold to $2800 at Bella Lana Merino stud’s fifth on-property sale at Dripstone, near Wellington last Friday.
Of the 73 rams offered, 48 found new homes to average $1067 – up $100 on last year’s average for vendors the Brien family.
The tough season being experienced in the west and north was the catalyst for the drop in the clearance, with repeat clients from these regions only taking a portion of their usual of their usual draft.
The Bruce family, Merima Merinos, Bombala, continued their affiliation with Bella Lana, purchasing the $2800 top-price ram.
The son of Wallaloo Park 904 carried figures o 18.4-micron, 2.9-micron standard deviation, 15.6 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.
Tim Bruce described the ram as the best woolled sheep in the draft and said it carried a good yearling weight Australian Sheep Breeding Value of +2.8.
“We are looking to continue with Bella Lana genetics and the style of wool they are producing, the fact that they are a daughter stud to Wallaloo Park is a bonus” he said.
Volume buyers included the Bishop family, Wellington, averaging $1040 for fiver, while Dougal Campbell, Mumbil, near Wellington, paid $2000 for his four, averaging $1400.
Mr Campbell said he liked the predictability of the Bella Lana sheep.
“They have soft, bright, long stapled wool combined with a big frame,” he said.
After purchasing for the first time last year Andrew and Penny Hundy, Pyramul, returned to outlay $1800 for their single ram, while Matt and Jackie O’Hare, Windeyer, averaged $1700 for their two.
Warren Leeson, Dunedoo, took one at $1000; Paspaley Rural, Coolah, paid $800 for its ram, while the Bennetts family, Merrygoen, averaged $733 for its draft of three.
The sale was conducted by Landmark with John Settree taking the bids.
DOWNLOAD the full sale Classic Sale Report, which appeared in The Land newspaper.