ONE of the final clearing sales for the season was held north of Williams last month, with a near-new CLAAS Arion 620 topping the sale at $90,000.
The sale was held by Elders on behalf of George Scholz.
The 2016 model had clocked up 218 hours and was fitted with a CLAAS 720 FEL with accompanying hay forks and bale frame.
After some lengthy bidding, auctioneer Dean Hubbard knocked the unit down to Mark Becker, Glenlowie Farms, Woodanilling, with the losing bidders being nearby neighbours to the Scholz property.
Much of the offering of machinery, plant and sundries was under 10-years-old, having been purchased by George Scholz when he took up his “Williams retirement property”.
After selling his farm at Kalannie he moved to Perth but had a desire to go back on the land again and bought about 80 hectares (200 acres) at Williams.
Since moving to the bare block, George had a magnificent home built along with two massive sheds, new stockyards and new fencing throughout, but now it is time to retire again.
Hence the clearing sale, where another tractor, a 2017 model 44 kilowatt (59hp) Mahindra 6034 4WD tractor (15 hours), went to a Highbury buyer at just $17,000.
Another near-new item, a 2015 model Isuzu three tonne tip truck (26,000 kilometres), with factory tray and sides, went to a Beverley concern at $37,000.
In among the more recently purchased machinery and plant was a Polaris Ranger XP 900 four-wheel, side-by-side bike with tipping box and towbar, which was knocked down at $15,500 to a Boddington buyer.
An older truck, an ACCO 1850 with 5.4 metre (18 feet) tipper with grain bin, was driven off to Muntadgin, after the new owner secured it at $9250.
Another of the higher-priced items on the day was a Marshall 850 Multi Spread with PTO drive and roll tarp, which had been re-conditioned and painted in 2015.
It was bought by a Boddington buyer at $24,500, while a four-year-old Jen-Ell spraying rig with 2000 litre tank and 18.5m (61ft) boom, with a Farmscan controller and blob dobber, went to a Wagin concern at $10,000
Most of the seeding gear was from earlier years with a Cole HD 975 seed and super bin (sand-blasted and painted in 2016) making $9500.
A Case IH 1620 Axial Flow header (4400hrs) with a 7.5m (25ft) 1010 comb, went at $9000; an older model 13.6m (45ft) Jetstream auger with a Vanguard twin-V motor, made $2500; a John Shearer 27 run six-row combine sold for $2300 and a 25 tine yellow model Chamberlain scarifier made $1300.
A couple of the oldest items offered were an old John Shearer six-row mouldboard plough on steel wheels with a good number of spare shears.
At $600 it might have been a good collector’s item and, needing some work done on the motor, an old Case IH 484 tractor made just $1600.
Among other items of plant and sundries was a Hustler VX4 ride-on mower with a 2.4m (60in) cut, also near-new (25hrs), was keenly sought, selling at $10,500.
A heavy duty 3PL DIGGA WEST Ram Drill made $1400; a firefighting outfit with 1800 litre tank on a tandem trailer went for $1800; an Advantage two round roll cattle feeder sold for $650; a Westair 18CFM high pressure air compressor made $725; a Powercraft 180 stick/wire welder attracted a winning bid of $750 and a near-new pneumatic post hole driver went at $820.
The sale was a family affair for George, with his two sons David and Colin attending and his three sisters and other family members providing the lunch and refreshments.
George said he was very happy with the overall result and was looking forward to permanent retirement in the metropolitan area.
