Bidding from four states helps underpin outstanding result at Kamora Park

Bidding from four states underpinned an exceptional result at the Boughen family's Kamora Park Poll Merino ram sale at Sandalwood on Friday.

The clearance, average and top price were all up on last year, with 180 rams sold out of 186 offered to an average of $2729 - $639 up on the 2025 auction.

Kamora Park offered up four lots of stud reserve rams to give clients the opportunity to source some outstanding genetics and the top price sire at $9500 came from this offering at pen 1B.

The ram is a son of Roemahkita 230009, which Kamora Park purchased for $15,000 at the 2024 Adelaide Show Ram Sale.

It was knocked down to Vic stud owner Paul Hendy, Belbourie Stud, Marnoo.

As well as combining outstanding carcase traits, and stylish wool with plenty of length and weight, the April 2025-drop ram weighed 120 kilograms, with an eye muscle depth of 39.7 millimetres (scanned in March).

The blade-shorn ram boasted a 9.7kg fleece weight, which measured 20.7 micron, with 3.1 standard deviation, 14.9 coefficient of variation and 99.4 per cent comfort factor.

Making the sale's second highest price of $8000 was another of the four stud reserve rams - pen 1D - that was knocked down to WA buyer Blight Brothers.

It weighed in at a whopping 122.5kg, with 40.4mm EMD. Its fleece measured 19.4M, 2.7SD, 14.1CV and 99.6CF.

Major volume buyers were regular clients Wegner Bros, Karoonda, who put together a team of 26, averaging $3011.

Another volume buyer was Mallee View, Galga, buying 18 rams and averaging $2005.

Mallee View has been buying from Kamora Park for more than a decade.

"We just like Kamora Park's style of sheep, they always do well for us," Mallee View's Peter McConnell said.

"They tick all the boxes for wool, frame and meat."

Another return client Rowan Zadow, Hensel & Zadow, Karoonda, said Kamora Park sheep suited his enterprise, especially due to their heavy cutting ability.

"They've got great staple length, which is important because we shear every six months," he said.

"It also helps having some of Australia's best genetics so close to home."

South East buyer David Hurst, Lake Hawdon, Robe, was purchasing from Kamora Park for the fourth year.

He said Kamora Park rams stood out for their great carcase traits and quality wool.

"I'm chasing carcase and fertility," he said.

As well as plenty of happy return buyers, there were some new faces.

One of these was Clint Thompson, CD&JR Thompson, who travelled over from Tallimba, NSW, with his son Sam.

Mr Thompson said he'd caught up with the Kamora Park team at this year's Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Vic, and liked what he saw.

He ended up buying 10 rams, averaging $2000.

Kamora Park's Katelyn Boughen was extremely pleased with how the sale went, particularly with the best average the stud has ever recorded.

"What was really important for us was that the clearance was up," she said.

"We offered a pretty even group across the board and three of them were potentially going to the Adelaide Show Ram Sale.

"We believe in offering up our best so people can get those top genetics."

Kamora Park will still have three rams offered at the Adelaide Show Ram Sale, including sons of East Mundalla 230273 and Kamora Park 220075,

Ms Boughen said it was great to see Kamora Park rams go to so many different areas of Australia.

"We're big on doing ability in any sort of environment," she said.

"They have to do well, no matter the conditions, and these rams prove that, they have grown up in harsh conditions.

"To have rams going to Vic, WA, NSW and across SA, it shows these rams will go on and work, even in colder environments."

Ms Boughen said the stud was also focused on achieving a steady growth rate across their sale team.

"We're focused on maintaining wool cut on a large-framed animal, with really good carcase attributes," she said.

"We've also been working with our classer Cousins Merino Services to continue to improve the structure in the feet so they can go to any environment and do well."

Ms Boughen said it had been fantastic to see Kamora Park clients receive such strong sale results recently, including at the Ouyen and Ballarat saleyards in Vic.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien, with Gordon Wood and Richard Miller sharing auctioneering duties.

Mr Wood said the sale was very well-supported.

"It was a fantastic result, especially considering the dry conditions we've come out of the past few years," he said.

"While it's a good season now, ewe numbers are depleted in SA, certainly in the Mallee.

"These rams were born in a drought, so having them present the way they have, it's a testament to Kamora Park.

"Buyers know they will do well for them in a range of areas, with rams going to pastoral areas and the South East - they suit any environment."