It was a complete clearance at this popular and long-running ram sale

The Lewis family celebrated the diamond anniversary of the Lewisdale stud, with a strong result at its annual on-property ram sale at Wickepin on Saturday.

Lewisdale was founded by brothers William and Daniel Lewis in 1950 and throughout its 75 year history, there isn't much the Lewis stud hasn't achieved in the show and sale rings.

Four Governor's Cups, numerous supreme exhibits at major WA sheep shows and big ram sale results, including a top price of $220,000 in 1989, to name a few highlights.

For decades, Lewisdale has been primarily focused on fertility and high lambing percentages, quick maturity and early lamb turn-off, carcase weight and heavy cutting, quality white wools, to remain at the forefront of dual-purpose Merino breeding.

The stud's diamond anniversary sale team of 200 big productive dual purpose Poll Merino rams at their 62nd annual on-property sale reflected this breeding focus and in line with their long-time breeding mantra of 'the true dual purpose Merino - meat and wool equals greater profits'.

Lewisdale's loyal band of clients were on hand at the sale, travelling from as far as the Esperance region and northern Wheatbelt and closer to the eastern Wheatbelt and local Great Southern districts.

The extensive even catalogue of Poll Merino rams had buyers spoilt for choice, and while there was solid bidding competition earlier on, it gradually wound down allowing some bigger orders to fill pre-mating requirements at value.

Like other sales already this selling season, ram numbers were brought back in line with anticipated demand.

And at the completion of the ring selling fixture, auctioneer Cameron Petricevich (Cameron Petricevich Auctioneering) and sale co-ordinators AWN Livestock and Dyson Jones, had recorded a complete clearance of the 200 ram catalogue at a stronger overall average of $2413.

This represented a lift of $351 on last year's overall sale average of $2062 from a total clearance of a larger catalogue of 250 Poll Merino rams.

In the sale breakdown, nine full wool (August shorn) 2023-drop stud Poll Merino rams averaged $5611, which was back $556 compared to last year's sale where six stud full wool rams sold for an average of $6167.

The line-up of 21 March shorn 2023-drop stud Poll Merino rams averaged $3929, which was stronger by $1146 on last year's sale where a bigger run of 30 rams of the same description averaged $2783.

The largest category of 170 March shorn 2024-drop two-tooth Poll Merino rams averaged $2056, a jump of $211 on last year's larger sale team of 214 two-tooth rams which recorded an average of $1845.

The sale kicked off with nine August shorn 2023-drop full wool stud Poll Merino rams and it wasn't long before the sale's $14,000 top price was recorded into the clerking sheets with the sale team leader claiming top price honours.

The big productive 153kg ram, by a Seymour Park syndicate bred Lewisdale sire, displayed wool tests of 20.1 micron and 99.3 per cent comfort factor (CF).

The highly regarded ram in the Lewisdale stable was knocked down to the winning bid of Andrew Kitto, Dyson Jones, Wickepin/Newdegate, who was representing return top-end stud buyer of nine years, Rejall Park, Miga Lake, Victoria.

Long-time Lewisdale supporter since the 1970s, Joe Della Vedova, JLW & C Della Vedova, Condingup, was again the most influential buyer.

He finished the sale with an extensive team of 38 rams, operating at both ends of the catalogue to average overall $2663, with values ranging from $1200 to $4500 and all prices in between.

Mr Della Vedova paid his $4500 top price on two occasions, first for the second March shorn 2023-drop ram catalogued by a Wallaloo Park family bred sire which tipped the scales at 119kg and tested 21.1 micron and 99.8pc CF.

His second top price was paid for another 115kg March shorn 2023-drop ram in lot 22, by a Seymour Park syndicate bred sire testing 22.7 micron and 99.8pc CF.

Mr Della Vedova purchased the team of rams on behalf of his family's farming enterprises which collectively run 8500 ewes.

Another Della Vedova family and long-term Lewisdale client of more than 45 years, Kumbooran Plains, Mount Walker, acquired a team of 12 rams costing from $2000 to $3500 for an average of $2758.Kumbooran Plains will join 1800 ewes to Lewisdale rams and 1000 to terminal sires.

Charlie Della Vedova said they normally run two age groups of Merino wethers through for two shearings.He said it gave them flexibility in bad seasons, such as this year's extremely dry start which saw them turn their wethers off early in late June and July.

Speaking together following the sale, Charlie and Joe Della Vedova agreed political interference into the State's industry, combined with some unfavourable seasonal conditions, had been frustrating for sheep producers, but they were remaining positive with "light at the end of the tunnel".

The Della Vedovas are both long-term sheep producers and said sheep were part of their farming systems, but hope for stability in the sheep and wool markets going forward.

They said it was important to continue supporting WA's stud breeders like the Lewis family.

A Lewisdale client for more than four decades, Steve Fowler, Jumbuk Plains, Esperance, is a regular trading name clerked to top-priced Lewisdale rams.

And he went to script again this year, securing six August shorn 2023-drop rams at the start of the sale, paying from $4000 to the $7000 equal second top price for his selections, to average $4917.

The rams will be fresh replacements for their 500-600 ewe Lewisdale blood nucleus breeding program producing their own flock rams for their 15,600 Merino ewes which are all joined to Merino rams from December 14.

The Fowler's top bid went to a 139kg ram by a Seymour Park syndicate bred sire in lot nine testing 21.2 micron and 99.1pc CF.AH Chisholm & Co, Ongerup, returned this year and collected four March shorn 2023-drop rams.

The Chisholms weren't afraid to bid up on their selections, averaging $6125 across their team and paying to the $7000 equal second top price for a 124kg ram by a Wallaloo Park Syndicate bred sire testing 19.3 micron and 99.8pc CF.

Other notable long-time return buyers were LJ & CJ Tyson, Kulin, with 11 rams averaging $2382, while the Dean family, Sancta Monica Farms, Tardun, averaged a healthy $2950 for eight rams, paying to the $5500 top two-tooth ram price in lot 60 for a 108kg Lewisdale Monty family bred ram testing 18.5 micron and 99.6pc CF.

Woodlands Farm, Yealering and W & M Handscombe & Son, Quairading, also collected eight rams each for an average of $2013 and $2100 respectively, while MC & D Latham, Narembeen, finished with seven rams, largely operating at value to average $1743.