Strong clearance with solid commercial values at the annual Poll Merino sale
New and return buyers delivered a strong clearance at solid commercial values for the King family at the annual White Springs Poll Merino Ram Sale west of Calingiri on Monday.
Since purchasing the Rhamily stud in 2022, the sale marked the third annual ram sale for the Kings, who haven't wavered from the breeding principals Rhamily stamped its brand on.
This was reflected in the team of 60 large-frame, two-tooth Poll Merino rams with white, well-nourished and soft handling wool.
The Kings also continue to invest into their breeding program for their clients, recently purchasing semen from Wiringa Park 240742, which recently sold for $70,000 to the White River stud, South Australia, and are excited to see the progeny next year.
Sale summary
- (under the hammer results)
- Offered: 60
- Sold: 57
- Top: $3600
- Gross: $87,100
- Average: $1528
Loyal return buyers, some that have supported the White Springs/Rhamily stud for decades, joined a couple of new buyers at the sale and with favourable seasonal conditions throughout White Spring's client base and extremely buoyant lamb and mutton markets, there was renewed confidence in the State's sheep industry among buyers.
After inspecting the sale team and enjoying the King family's delicious hospitality, buyers set about filling their pre-mating requirements.
And at the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock team sold 57 rams (95 per cent) for an average of $1528.
This was one less ram sold and a $343 reduction in average compared to last year's sale where the stud sold 58 rams for an average of $1871.
Encouragingly for the King family, post sale interest extended to the private selection rams and potentially saw several more White Springs rams at new homes.
Nutrien Livestock auctioneer and Wongan Hills representative Grant Lupton said it was a solid result for the Kings in their third ram sale.
"A very good, even presentation of Poll Merino rams resulting in strong bidding competition through the catalogue," Mr Lupton said.
"There is certainly a sense of optimism growing in the sheep industry which is great to see."
The sale kicked off with a run of 13 regulation March 1, 2025, blade shorn rams, and commercial buyers demonstrated from the outset they were prepared to pay for their rams of choice.
The upstanding ram catalogued in lot four had a number of buyers throw their hat into the ring to claim its services, but in the end it was knocked down to brothers and original Rhamily clients Leon and John Stickland, C & DJ Stickland & Sons, Mungatta Murray Grey stud, Wongan Hills, for the top price of $3600.
The Manunda bloodline bred ram tipped the scales at 112kg and recorded wool measurements of 19.2 micron, 15.5 coefficient of variation (CV), 3 standard deviation (SD) and 99.3 per cent comfort factor (CF).
Leon Stickland said the top-priced ram was what they looked for in their replacement rams.
"Beautifully structured ram that stands well with size and presence but also has bright, soft and white wool with staple length and crimp," Mr Stickland said.
"We are chasing the capacity in its size and structure, spring of rib and doability, to turn off our wethers and surplus ewes earlier."
The Sticklands will join 1400 ewes all to White Springs/Glen-Byrne/Rhamily Poll Merino rams to lamb in June-July.
They continued to bid up on a further two rams to average a healthy $2967 for their new ram trio.
With a combination of numbers and bidding competition, the most influential buyer was again Corey Glass, Fenwick Farms Suffolk and White Suffolk studs, Calingiri.
The long-time Rhamily client and avid supporter of the White Springs stud, competed strongly throughout the sale to finish with 14 rams, reflected in paying $2300 for the third last ram.
Mr Glass operated from $1000 to a top price of $2800, averaging a buoyant $2100 for his selections.
His top price was paid for a March shorn ram in lot nine containing a 110kg Kamballie Steven bred ram testing 17.9 micron, 2.4 SD, 13.1 CV and 99.7pc CF.
Another long-time Rhamily buyer and return buyer of numbers at White Springs, PG & PM Nankivell, Wubin, went to script when they built a team of 15 rams to be the sale's volume buyer.
Nutrien Livestock development manager, sheep and Merino genetics, Mitchell Crosby, filled the order on the Nankivell's behalf and operated from $800 to a $2300 top price to average $1187, with the top bid placed on a Manunda bred late March machine shorn ram, deep in the catalogue, weighing 95kg and recording wool tests of 18.5 micron, 3.5 SD, 19 CV, 99.9pc CF and 5.2kg GFW.
The next largest account was put together by another long-time Rhamily buyer, SF Chester & Co, Goomalling.
Digby and Graham Chester finished with 10 rams at an average of $1220 and paid to a $2000 top price for the second machine shorn ram offered in lot 15.
The 99kg Gunallo bred ram recorded wool tests of 20.5 micron, 3.1 SD, 15 CV, 99.4pc CF and 4.4kg GFW.
The Chesters have been supporting Rhamily and now White Springs for two decades.
They said it was a very consistent team of good free growing wool sheep that present well.
The Chesters will join 1100 ewes all to Poll Merino rams to lamb in June and depending on seasonal and market conditions, wether lambs are generally carried through until two years of age and sold after two shearings.
Other bigger numbers put together at the sale were eight rams averaging $1130 by IP Turner, Bindi Bindi, who paid to a $2000 top price and five rams averaging $1080 by LM Dennis, Miling.
Long-time buyer of nucleus sires at White Springs/Rhamily, Owen Edmonds, Corondeen Farming, Calingiri, paid the sale's $3100 second top price for a 108kg Manunda bred regulation March shorn ram in lot five, testing 18.8 micron, 2.9 SD, 15.3 CV and 99.9pc CF.
Mr Edmonds said he would likely select some yellow tag ewes from the nucleus to join the new ram to.
"Big sheep with length of body and well-nourished, finely crimped and long-stapled wool," Mr Edmonds said.
