Long-time buyers make short work of classy wools at SWM Poll Merinos
An outstanding ram ranking in the top five percent for three key traits on MerinoSelect - clean fleece weight, staple length and weaning weight - was the headline maker at Superior Wool Merinos' 18th annual ram sale at Tintinara.
As the rain and even hail poured down, there was a flurry of bids for many of the lots, but particularly on Lot 5, SWM 240179, which topped the sale at $9500.
Putting in the winning bid on the sale topper was the Burgess family, Watts Range, Gulnare.
The 17.5 micron ram was sired by Wallaloo Park 211101, which SWM had bought a semen share in with Eyre Peninsula stud, Karawatha Park.
The sale topper was a standout visually, with Elders auctioneer Laryn Gogel describing the April 2024 drop as having "tremendous staple length, lovely handle and beautiful style as well as fleece weight on side".
Its other figures included a Sustainable Merino Index of 159.61 - in the top 10pc of Merino Select.
The Harknesses' Gumburra Park clip has been a monthly winner in Elders' SA Clip of the Year awards for several years in a row and achieved the same honour again in 2024/25.
Many repeat clients of the stud were chasing the same soft handling wools for their own flocks.
Overall 117 of 119 April shorn rams, offered by Richard Harkness and his son Kael and the SWM team, in the main auction averaged $2017.
Like many sales this season the average was back $409 on 2024's result when 119 of 120 rams sold.
Another 15 rams sold in the mini auction for a $953 average.
Two long-term big buyers dominated the bidding with Treetop Estate Pty Ltd, Field, securing 25 rams for a $1332 average, while Burge Trading Trust, Naracoorte, put together 22 rams for a $1475 average
Richard Storch Family Trust, Bordertown, was active early in the sale with his ten buys, including Lot 10, by the same Wallaloo Park sire for $6500.
This was the sale's second highest price. The 17.2M ram had a fleece with a standard deviation of 2.5 and coefficient of variation of 14.4pc.
Despite some strong highs there were plenty of rams also knocked down at the $1000 base price.
Stud principal Richard Harkness said the sale was better than he expected.
"When you offer a big number of rams, you are exposed to a pass in rate that can be high, but we avoided that and still held a reasonable average for the year," he said.
Mr Harkness said it was pleasing to see SWM rams in demand across a big geographical area from high rainfall northern Tasmania to Yunta in the north east pastoral zone, as well as the inside country of SA.
"We have always had good wool and good skins and high fertility now we are putting the muscle and fat into the genetics as well, which makes an overall package that is quite attractive," he said.
He said it had been the hardest year they had had for preparing rams for sale so was pleased how their rams had presented.
"It has not only tested genetics but also tested everyone's patience. Hopefully next year is nothing like this one," he said.
Elders Keith branch manager Steven Doecke, who shared the auctioneering duties with Mr Gogel, said it was a "good result" and about on par with how sales have worked out this season.
"Richard has been working on the carcase traits and we saw that when the buyers found those rams they were prepared to pay for them," he said.
