Three buyers secure more than half of sale at Cassilis Park and Coddington Uardry

Significant volume buyers were active at the Cassilis Park and Coddington Uardry Poll Merino sale, held near Cassilis, on October 1, with three buyers securing more than 50 per cent of the offering.

It marked the first sale since Cam, Winks, James, and Kylie Armstrong purchased the Coddington Uardry Poll Merino stud.

All up, 87 of 98 rams sold to $4750 to average $2040.

In the breakdown, 84 of 95 Poll Merino rams hit $4750 to average $2053, while all three Merino rams sold to $2000 to average $1666.

A further three rams were sold immediately after the auction.

Mark Conn, Forest Vale, Wellington, secured the top-priced ram, CUP-245001, for $4750.

Son of 17-402 and out of a Coddington Uardry Poll ewe, the 105-kilogram ram recorded a fibre diameter of 18.6 micron, 3.1 micron standard deviation, 16.6 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.2pc comfort factor.

Mr Conn said the ram ticked all the boxes.

"He's an outstanding, heavy-bodied ram with a quality cutting fleece to match his frame," he said.

A repeat buyer from the Armstrong family, this purchase marked his first Coddington Uardry Poll ram.

"I've always admired and been impressed by the Coddington rams," he said.

Mr Conn runs a mixed sheep and cropping operation with 3500 self-replacing Merino ewes.

About 60pc are joined back to Merinos, while the culls are put to Poll Dorset rams.

Mr Conn aims to finish his wethers to heavy export weights.

The second top-priced ram, CUP-245042, was knocked down to Alpine Ag, Alpine, Parkes, for $4000.

Son of an RP81 syndicate, the 81kg, 17-micron ram had 2.8SD, 16.7CV and 99.5CF.

Alpine Ag also bought CUP-245048 and CUP-245019 for $3250 and $1500, respectively.

Volume buyer Hugh Bowman, Double Anchor Pastoral, Harden, bought 23 rams to $3500, twice, to average $1771.

One of his $3500 rams, 191268 son, CP-241123, was sold as a charity lot in memory of the Armstrong's family friend Eleanor 'EJ' Bryant, who died in late 2024 after saving a child from an oncoming truck at her workplace.

All proceeds will be donated to The Eleanor Bryant Memorial Fund.

The 79kg, 17.5 micron ram had 2.8SD, 16.1CV and 99.5CF.

Cassilis Park's Cam Armstrong said he was pleased with the sale result and thanked Susan and Graham Coddington for entrusting them with the purchase of their stud.

"We're grateful for your ongoing involvement and look forward to it continuing for many years," he said.

He also welcomed signs of improvement in the wool market.

"We're really excited to see it on the rise and we're confident it will keep heading in the right direction," Mr Armstrong said.

The White family, Talbragar Holdings, Talbragar, Coolah, secured 15 rams to $3500 to average $2216; while Sam Leliever, Louth, averaged $1500 for 15 rams.

Winning Pastoral, Mona, Bollon, Qld, bought four rams to $3000 to average $2250, and AJ and SB Osborne, Rosedale, Caloola, averaged $1928 for seven rams.

Elders Mudgee conducted the sale with Scott Cooper, Elders, as auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.