'This is my pick': buyer saw potential in Lansdale ram at Royal Geelong

The clearance rate was down, but Lansdale Pure Southdowns stud principal James Knight was pleased with the average achieved at their on-property ram sale on Thursday.

Mr Knight said most buyers, 16 registered at the property and 25 on AuctionsPlus, were located in a 50-kilometre radius of the Bamganie stud.

On the day, 28 of 56 of the stud's Southdown rams sold to a top price of $4000 and an average of $1750.

Last year, the sale topper went for $5000, while the sale average was $1967.

Mr Knight said he had expected the number of rams sold to be down because of the trying seasonal conditions.

"Last year our average was about $1950, so we're a fraction down, but considering the year we're very happy with the outcome," he said.

Another three rams sold after the sale, taking the total number to 31.

Repeat buyer Duncan Campbell, Barwonleigh, Inverleigh, bought the top-priced ram, Lot 7 Lansdale 240200.

Lot 7 weighed 132 kilograms and had a fat measurement of seven millimetres and an eye muscle area of 43.66 square centimetres.

The twin-born ram was sired by LD 32, the champion Southdown ram at the Victorian Sheep & Wool Show in 2023.

"He was a champion ram," Mr Knight said.

"He's a beautifully well-presented ram on all four legs.

"He carried himself magnificently, he just has a real presence about him."

Mr Knight said Mr Campbell had bought rams from the stud the past four years in a row.

Sovereign Hill Farms, Ballarat, was the volume buyer, snapping up eight rams at the sale.

Mr Knight said rams were also going to buyers from Hamilton and the surrounding area.

He said the Southdown rams were easy-birthing, quick-growth sheep.

"The rams this year, personally, I think they are the best they have ever been," Mr Knight said.

"They're a very even bunch of rams.

"We just ran out of buyers."

Mr Knight said, despite the disappointing clearance rate, he was confident about the stud's future.

"I think there are a lot of good things to look forward to," he said.

"We want to increase our numbers with the Southdowns because we know their potential.

"We just have to move with the peaks and troughs."

Barwonleigh's Catherine Campbell, who is in the process of taking over the property with her husband Gerrard Lamaro, as her father Duncan Campbell enters semi-retirement, first spotted the ram they picked up at the sale at the Geelong show.

"I told my husband 'this is my pick'," Ms Campbell said.

"He had a nice straight back, narrow shoulders, good hind quarters and a well-structured, nice head."

Ms Campbell said the family was return buyers at Lansdale because the Southdown breed had a lovely temperament.

Her daughter Emma, 15, fell in love with the ram and was the one who did the bidding on the day.

She was thrilled when they were the successful bidders.

Ms Campbell said her father went to one of the early sales the Knights held.

"He wanted to support the Knights, so we went along to one of the sales and we haven't looked back since," she said.

Ms Campbell said the rams presented extremely well.

"This was the best crop of rams we've seen, and that's a real credit to James and Janie and the family," she said.