Wantana Hills, along with four other studs, teamed up to purchase the number one lot at the ram sale from Roseville Park Merino stud for $31,000.

The Small family of Blenheim, New Zealand, will take full possession of the ram, while Wantana Hills, and three Victorian studs including Wurrook at Rokewood, Melrose, Horsham and Salt Creek, Woorndoo will gain semen shares.

Jim Darmody of Wantana Hills said he liked the ram as he will offer clients the option to keep their sheep to adults or finish their wether lambs early.

"His weaning weight at 15 weeks was 53kg and his wool cut was double the average of his drop as a lamb," Mr Darmody said.

"He also has an impeccable pedigree, as his sire is Willandra GP and dam goes back to Rp 14.

"I also purchased a ram from Merryville Merino stud last year who is by Yarrawonga 961.

"At shearing he cut 8.3kg, skirted fleece for seven months and lambs look promising."

Mr Darmody said the ewe base is "basically breed in the purple", with East Roseville, Roseville Park and Yarrawonga over the past 40 years.

"My clients like paddock sales, they see all the rams, there's no pressure of the sale and they have time to choose their rams and talk about their direction," he said.

Some of the ram blood this year are:

Orange tags, syn of Steve and a son x Win 4.50 (share brought $15,000).

Syn Greys x W.Hills 43 x R.P.43 (sold at Dubbo $10,000)

Dark blue tags x W.HILLS Red 20 (reserve champ August fine wool, Sydney Royal)

Light Blue tags x Red 20

Black tags x DMS11 x TP 4202.

No obligation inspections welcome.

In 2018, the Wantana Hills team at the Orange Wether trial placed seventh for fleece value and second highest for body weight out for 27 teams in a very tough year.

Long term client, Tim Dowling of Murringo, came fourth in fleece value in the commercial wether trial at Bookham out of 26 teams.

In the same trial, Wantana Hills was third for dollars per DSE from nine studs and second highest greasefleece weight out of 44 team.