Dream season and strong markets inject confidence at Pastora Poll Merinos

A strong wool market, high lamb prices and a cracking season in the south all resulted in a very pleasing result for the Westblade family during the Pastora Poll Merino stud ram sale.

Held on-property at Lockhart on Wednesday, September 2, all 199 rams sold to a top price of $6250 and for an average of $2721, to buyers from NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

The top-priced ram was Pastora 251585, which sold for $6250 to long-term repeat buyers Steve and Lydia Jarvis, Heathfield Poll Merinos, Boorowa.

The ram was 17.6 micron with 2.9 micron standard deviation, 16.4 per cent coefficient of variation, 99.2pc comfort factor and had a greasy fleece weight percentage of 113pc.

Mr Jarvis said he purchased the ram for his carcase and wool cut, as well as the genetics behind him.

"We've got confidence in him," he said.

Mr Jarvis said the ram would go onto the stud operation where they run 1400 to 1500 stud ewes and are set to offer 65 rams at auction this year, focusing on low micron, heavy fleece weights and fertility.

"We're working hard on heavier weaning weights," he said.

Mr Jarvis said they had been buying from Pastora for 41 years, with their stud a small family operation of himself, wife Lydia and son Pete.

"The basic principle is low micron, heavy fleece weight and lots of lambs," he said.

Mr Jarvis purchased three rams all together for an average of $4017.

Tim Westblade, Pastora, said the top-priced ram was "a big deep ram, very barrelly with high-quality wool".

A feature of the sale was Pastora 254349, with the proceeds going to the Peter Westblade Scholarship.

He was sold for $3200 to Bluechip Livestock, Young, who purchased him on behalf of Pine Farm, Quandialla.

The ram, sired by Pastora 220279, had a fleece of 16.1 micron with 2.5 micron SD, 15.2pc CV, 99.6pc CF and 97pc GFW.

He ranked in the top 5pc for yearling fibre diameter with a figure of -2.9.

Volume buyers of the sale included C, M and R Morton, Temora, who bought 12 rams to a top of $4000 and an average of $2850.

Rockview Ag, Yerong Creek, bought nine rams to a top of $3600 and average $2756.

Wells Pastoral Co, Bungendore, and Four Mile Pastoral, Holbrook, each took home six rams each for averages of $2767 and $2467 respectively.

Mr Westblade said he was pleased with the sale result, with strong support from repeat clients as well as new buyers.

"It's a great season, great wool prices and high meat prices," he said.

"The average was up because of the good season and good prices. We had a total clearance again, which is because of the depth of the clients.

"Most people were chasing the high wool value rams with good constitution for dual purpose enterprises."

The sale was conducted by Elders with Ryan Bajada as auctioneer.