Leahcim Poll Merino stud grosses a record $1.2 million at Snowtown with a full clearance of 333 rams
Summary
The Leahcim Poll Merino stud staged a record on-property sale at Snowtown, grossing a substantial $1.2 million with bidders drawn from five states. Held as the stud's 39th annual sale, the fixture achieved a full clearance of 333 sires after an extra 50 rams were added to meet strong demand. The $3806 average was a stud record, sitting $936 above the previous year, yet buyers still found opportunities in the $1500 to $2000 range. The top-priced ram made $35,000, just short of the operation's all-time high. A September 2025-drop, it carried a 17.3 micron fleece with a 2.6 standard deviation, a 15.1 per cent coefficient of variation and a 99.8 per cent comfort factor. The sire sat in the industry's top 5 per cent for post-weaning weight, yearling weight and yearling clean fleece weight, and measured 171 on the Sustainable Merino Index, while ranking in the top 10 per cent for dag, worm egg count and yearling staple length. It was secured by a West Australian Poll Merino and White Suffolk stud and will be used to artificially inseminate 200 to 250 ewes in a high-rainfall zone south of Perth. Strong support also came from New South Wales, with one enterprise buying 20 rams at a $3875 average and another taking 16 at a $5031 average. A volume purchaser secured 21 rams at a $3238 average, and further buyers from Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia added lines ranging from seven to 19 head. Nutrien conducted the sale.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Gross |
$1.2 million |
| Top price |
$35,000 |
| Average |
$3806 |
|
Average increase on last year |
$936 |
|
Rams sold (full clearance) |
333 |
|
Annual sale number |
39th |
|
Top ram fibre diameter |
17.3 micron |
|
Sustainable Merino Index |
171 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much did the Leahcim sale gross?
The record on-property sale grossed $1.2 million, with bidders from five states. It was the stud's 39th annual sale.
What was the top price and was it a record?
The top-priced ram sold for $35,000, which was not a stud record. The operation's highest was $36,000, achieved at a 2024 sale.
What was the sale average?
The average was a record $3806, up $936 on the previous year. Buyers could still purchase in the $1500 to $2000 range.
How many rams sold?
The sale recorded a full clearance of 333 sires. An extra 50 rams had been added to meet strong demand.
What were the top ram's wool figures?
The top ram carried a 17.3 micron fleece with a 2.6 standard deviation, a 15.1 per cent coefficient of variation and a 99.8 per cent comfort factor. It was a September 2025-drop.
What performance traits did the top ram carry?
It ranked in the industry's top 5 per cent for post-weaning weight, yearling weight and yearling clean fleece weight, and measured 171 on the Sustainable Merino Index. It was also in the top 10 per cent for dag, worm egg count and yearling staple length.
Where is the top ram heading and how will it be used?
The ram was bought by a Western Australian stud in a high-rainfall zone south of Perth. It will be used to artificially inseminate between 200 and 250 ewes.
Who conducted the sale?
Nutrien conducted the sale, with auctioneering duties shared between two agents.
