Kerin Poll Merino stud has once again made history with its 13th annual on-property ram sale tallying an Australian Merino record sale gross of $2,136,500. Overall, Nigel and Kate Kerin and family of the Yeoval-based operation offered and sold 519 Poll Merino rams resulting in a 100 per cent clearance, $18,500 top and $4117 average. The average was up by $591, compared to last year's results when 550 rams sold to a top of $16,000, average of $3526. It surpassed the previous Merino ram sale gross benchmark of $1.94m set by the Kerin Poll stud in 2021. The uniformity of the rams right the way through the catalogue was evident as buyers and prices stayed consistent throughout the auction which was wrapped up in just under four hours. Rams sold to commercial woolgrowers throughout NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and further afield to Narrogin, Western Australia. Wyntrade, Jugiong, purchased the $18,500 top-priced ram, KP210271, an April-drop twin-born son of KP193599. The 106 kilogram ram had fleece measurements of 18.3-micron, 2.9 micron standard deviation, 16.1pc coefficient of variation, and 99.8pc comfort factor. Its Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs) were 10.8 for post weaning weight (PWT), 12.1 for yearling weight (YWT), 0.2 for yearling fat depth (YFAT), 32.7 for yearling greasy fleece weight (YGFW), 2.1 for yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD), -1 for yearling fibre diameter (YFD) and -0.4 for early breech wrinkle (EBWR). Repeat clients Ado and Joe Scolari of Tomingley purchased the $9000 second-top priced ram, KP210602 a May-drop son of KP190902, which weighed 104kg and measured an 18.1-micron fleece with secondary wool measurements of 3.1 SD, 16.9pc CV and 99.5pc CF. The Scolari's operated at the top end of the draft buying five rams at a $7400 average. Several volume buyers were active including the Ridgway family of Gantag Pty Ltd, Avenel, Vic who purchased 30 rams to a top of $6500, twice, to average $4650. The sale was conducted by Bowyer and Livermore (B&L), Bathurst with guest auctioneer Paul Dooley, Tamworth and Nick Fogarty, B&L, sharing the auctioneering duties. MORE TO COME. ALSO IN NEWS: