Million dollar ram sale as Leahcim Poll Merinos go from east to west

The Michael family held a record on-property sale at Snowtown on Tuesday, grossing a massive $1.2 million and bidders hailing from five states.

While the top price ram at $35,000 was not a record breaker for the stud, it was not far behind their $36,000 sale-topper sold at the 2024 Classings Classics sale at Murray Bridge.

But the number of rams sold and average were well and truly records.

Principal Alistair Michael said the stud wanted to ensure buyers that attended their 39^th annual sale could get what they came for, so an extra 50 rams were put up this year, with a full clearance of 333 sires.

The astounding $3806 average was $936 up on last year's very successful sale.

While the average was high, there were still plenty of opportunities for bidders to buy in the $1500 to $2000 range.

Buying the top-price ram was long-time buyer Paul Goerling, from the Lukin Springs Poll Merino and White Suffolk stud, at Boyup Brook, WA.

The $35,000 ram was a September 2025-drop with 17.3 micron fleece, with 2.6 standard deviation, 15.1 per cent coefficient of variation and 99.8pc comfort factor.

It carried a number of industry-leading traits including being in the top 5 per cent for post-weaning weight (12.0), yearling weight (15.4), yearling clean fleece weight (37.5) and it measured 171 on the Sustainable Merino Index. It was also in the top 10pc of the industry for dag, worm egg count and yearling staple length.

Mr Goerling has been buying rams from Leahcim for the past 15 years.

He said the top-price ram stood out for a multitude of reasons including its "phenomenal" growth, structure and length of body.

"I always had the intention to come here and buy the best ram I could," he said.

"This ram is one of the highest wool cutters in the shed, and it's only a Spring-drop."

Mr Goerling described the ram's wool as "bomb-proof", an important factor when farming in a 650-millimetre high rainfall area, three hours south of Perth.

The ram will be put straight to work back home in WA, and will be used to artificially inseminate between 200 to 250 ewes, to get as many lambs on the ground as possible.

Mr Goerling said he remained a loyal buyer at Leahcim for their overall product and outstanding genetics.

"What you see is what you get," he said.

"The Michaels are also a great family to deal with, you can ring them and ask them questions anytime.

"The results we're getting, and our clients are getting, in our high rainfall environment in WA keeps me coming back."

Mr Goerling said there was plenty of confidence in the industry back home and across the country.

"With the wool price where it is, and the sheep price where it is, you can't help but be confident going forward," he said.

Bidding competition was incredibly strong from NSW.

Yass couple Emma Reid and Tom Legge, Narrangullen, run a Merino, prime lamb and Angus cattle enterprise.

They bought from Leahcim for the first time last year and returned again to snap up 20 rams in the sale, averaging $3875, and a further 22 out in the paddock.

"Structure is really important to us," Mr Legge said.

"We were also looking at the style of wool, easy doing ability, getting good growth and a low worm egg count."

Returning for the second time were Emily and Alistair Turner, Woorandara, Booligal, NSW, buying three rams averaging $2166 and fellow NSW buyers father and son Rob and Tom Sutherland, Spicers Creek, who were purchasing for the third time and took home 16 rams averaging $5031.

A NSW buyer was the major volume purchaser, with Overton Pastoral Co snapping up 21 rams, averaging $3238.

Return buyers the Martin family, Swan Hill, Vic, bought 19 rams averaging $1631, while WA buyers the Lavender family, Redneval Farming, Williams, took 16 rams averaging $4500.

SA buyers included HT Harslett, Gladstone, buying seven rams averaging $3571, and Black Rock Ag, Orroroo, buying 13 rams, averaging $3230.

Mr Michael said the rams had gone through a range of conditions before the sale.

"They've seen a bit of everything, they were born last year in a tough season, then had a heap of rain on them," he said.

Mr Michael was extremely pleased with the sale result, which included their highest on-property price.

"It's great to see the positivity in the industry. We're passionate about the fibre we produce and the meat we produce and we feel there's certainly a strong future," he said.

Mr Michael said the stud was focused on producing wools that can handle any environment, along with correct, fertile animals that displayed easy-care traits.

Nutrien conducted the sale, with Gordon Wood and Richard Miller sharing auctioneering duties.

Mr Wood said buyers knew that they were getting commercial relevance every year when buying at Leahcim and the sale results proved it.

"It was an absolutely outstanding result for the Michaels in their 39^th sale," he said.

"They lifted numbers to 333, about 50 more rams than last year, knowing demand was strong. Having those extra numbers gave people a good selection."

Mr Wood said when it came to great data sets Leahcim was "top of the tree."

"Not many people have the balance of data that Leahcim offers," he said.

"It doesn't matter if you're from a pastoral area or a high rainfall zone, they have sheep to suit your area.

"There's no doubt about the fact the Michaels don't take second as an option when it comes to selecting their genetics. It's not just the data, but also the structure and correctness."