"These sheep are a little secret up here in the Wheatbelt at the moment."
A declaration from a client that their flock now consists entirely of Crichton Vale Merino stud's genetics, after more than a decade of utilising the bloodlines, is one of the greatest advertisements available.
Andrew Greay, Karlgarin, was full of praise for the Crichton Vale stud after purchasing the top-priced sire at the 2025 sale.
The highest price of $5000 broke the stud's previous $4800 record from 2023 and the day's average of $1352 was up by $206.
Crichton Vale Merino stud principal Bill Cowan and son Pete had the support of many family members to pen a selection of 80 sires.
There were 69 Poll Merinos and 11 Merinos in the line-up, with Seymour Park, Cardiff, Barloo, Masterbuilt Family and Crichton Vale sire lines running through the offering.
Crichton Vale aims to produce big-bodied, easy care, heavy cutting, quality wool rams at an affordable price for clients, investing in their genetics consistently to achieve this aim.
Sale Summary
- (Under the hammer results)
- Offered: 80
- Sold: 52
- Top: $5000
- Gross: $70,300
- Average: $1352
Overall the rams available for sale averaged 97.3 kilograms, 20.3 micron and a 99.2 per cent comfort factor (CF), with wool samples taken for testing on August 1, 2025.
Elders stud stock manager, Crichton Vale stud classer and sale lead-auctioneer, Nathan King, said a lot of buyers had gone home from the sale really happy with what they had purchased.
"These sheep are a little secret up here in the Wheatbelt at the moment," Mr King said.
"The quality of the rams is excellent.
"There was great feedback from Dowerin Machinery Field Days.
"People who were here today really liked what they saw and what they bought and they were able to be really selective, but this created competition on many lots that achieved great results.
"Long-term clients love them, they are absolutely rapt with these sheep.
"The sheep presented really well, they were great quality and the clients knew what they wanted and got what they came for."
Mr Greay is a long-term volume buyer of the stud.
He was determined and won the bidding at $5000 for lot 10, a big Poll ram in the corner pen.
The Seymour Park sired ram weighed 109kg ram with August 1 wool testing figures of 20.7 micron, 16.5pc CV, 3.4 mic SD, 0.4 MD and 99.4pc CF.
Mr Greay said he was a fan of the overall type, the wool and the frame, of the Crichton Vale stud's sheep.
"The top priced ram was a nice all-round ram," Mr Greay said.
"He has a nice long body, with nice, white, stylish wool.
"He stands well, has a big frame and still has a great wool type.
"They have good genetics in the flock.
"I have dropped two to three micron over the last 10 years, purchasing from Crichton Vale.
"I now have all Crichton Vale genetics on my farm."
The equal second highest-priced buyer was also the equal volume buyer and another regular client of the Cowan's, Bryce Sinclair, DP & RM Sinclair, Newdegate.
Mr Sinclair knows the Crichton Vale genetics well and bid early in the catalogue on lot 2, taking the (CV) of 15.7 per cent, a standard deviation of 3.3 micron, micron deviation (MD) of 0.6 and a comfort factor of 99pc, home for $2500.
However it was lot 23 that he paid the equal $2600 second highest price for, a Seymour Park sired, 104kg ram, exhibiting 20.8 micron, 19pc CV, 4 micron SD, 0.5 MD and 98.5pc CF.
Mr Sinclair said he was impressed with the whole package.
"He was a really good ram in terms of wool and structure," Mr Sinclair said.
"He had really nice staple length, nice style wool with a bold crimp.
"As well as a good, thick, wide and deep body."
Mr Sinclair said they were sticking to their guns in their breeding program this year.
"We are not dropping or increasing numbers this year," he said.
"We are waiting before deciding whether to keep our older ewes.
"With fertiliser prices going up and grain prices decreasing, we will look at making a decision in about a month."
There were three equal volume buyers of which Mr Sinclair was one, with his purchase of eight rams to the top price of $2600 and for an average of $1313.
Another volume buyer was Craig Shalders, RJ & LH Shalders, Newdegate, who also purchased eight sires.
Mr Shalders paid $1700 twice as his top price and averaged $1163 overall.
Regular buyer Josh Whitwell, Morrell Farms, Hyden, also purchased eight rams, to a top of $1700 and for an average of $1063.
Rounding out volume buyers was C Nicholl & Co, Tracey Utley, Hyden, who purchased seven sires to a top of $1800 and for an average of $1014.
Of the 52 rams sold, 47 were Poll Merinos and 11 were Merinos.
The Poll Merinos averaged $1387 and the Merinos sold to a top of $1400 for an average of $1020.
A bonus, organised by Elders Narembeen, for buyers present on the day was a Patmore Feeds' donation of one tonne of feed pellets, which was won by Kevin Lansdell, Kareem Farms, Popannyinning.
Coopers Animal Health/Allfex Australia donated a 5 litre container of Trifecta sheep drench, which was won by Darren Major, DM & AL Major, Muntadgin.
Being in an area dominated by cropping, it was a fantastic turnout of buyers, friends and family combined that made for a day full of good results and great spirits all round.
