HUNDREDS of farmers turned out for the Maroni family's clearing sale at Lake Grace last week, but it was the Eastern States buyers who stole the show on the big ticket items.
The 14 registered Eastern States buyers, experiencing a bumper season, were like kids in a candy store, with extra pocket money.
Most of their collective focus was on harvest equipment.
Marcus and Helen Maroni's sale was billed by conducting agents Landmark as being the "top of the drop machinery sale", which saw majority of the immaculately-presented harvest and seeding equipment and numerous sundries, clear on the day for $340,330 gross.
Landmark Lake Grace auctioneer Garry Prater said there was a substantial amount of inquiry from the Eastern States, in particular South Australia, with the sale also being well supported by locals under tough seasonal conditions.
"The seeding equipment didn't sell which was understandable at this time of year, but the harvest gear sold very well," Mr Prater said.
"The outcome was very pleasing considering the season."
The majority of the sundries offered were sold with only a few scattered crates left at the conclusion of the sale.
Among the sundry "prizes" was a box of old National Geographic magazines which took Lake Grace locals SBM Tyres' interest and sold for $15, while a barbeque went for the bargain price of $10 to Magents Minerals, Newdegate and an outdoor setting sold to PJ & SM Stone, Borden, for $200.
Once a few farmers' backyards and scrap metal piles were kitted out, the sale moved to the serious side when the boxes on top of the outdoor setting were the first to crack the four-figured mark.
In the first box was the Trimble Ezy Guide 500 with Ezy Steer and bids flew from all directions before RJ Dickens, Pithara, secured the kit for $5000.
A Farmscan Toughbook guidance system was in the next box and went to TF & JF DeLandgraff, Ravensthorpe, for $4000.
When the big machinery followed in the catalogue, the crowd was so dense it was hard to catch a glimpse of what was being auctioned, but buyers knew exactly what they were after.
Originally attending the sale to replace a fuel tanker and trailer, Brock Ramsay, Talyat Farms, Borden, left with an 15m (51ft) Farm King auger (20cm barrell) with full hydraulic lift-and-steer kit for $14,000.
Shane Carruthers bought a Toyota forklift capable of 2.5 tonne, five metre lift along with a mask and gas kit for $11,000, on behalf of CBH Lake Grace.
He immediately followed up with the purchase of a Dayno air compressor 90 CFM which was mounted on a near-new two-year-old tandem axle trailer, complete with a set of hoses and a lance, for $13,500.
A C6100 Chamberlain tractor with duals/cab and air was up next and was picked up by C Nichols, Falcon, for $11,700, while a Furakawa front end loader FL 230-1 with as-new quarry tyres, ROPS cab, Mitsubishi 127kW (170hp) engine and a three yard bucket, went to JK & JC Major, Ravensthorpe, for $41,000.
The phones were fired up to bring in the Eastern States bidders when the chaser and field bins came up for auction, starting with the 75 tonne Vennings field bin with grain extensions, roll tarp and tri-axle, which was purchased by Kevin Willersdorth, Murrayville, Victoria, for $37,500.
The huge crowd watched on as the battle of the phones continued when the next item, a 26 tonne Norrish chaser bin with roll tarp and tandem axle, was offered and eventually knocked down to Landmark Lake Grace representative Grant O'Neill on behalf of Frank Miller, Echuca, Victoria, for $49,500 after a long bidding war.
Another Eastern States buyer, Turnbull & Son, Cummins, Victoria, placed the $25,000 winning bid for a 21t Cole HD 800 five-in-one seed and super bin, with a 13kW (18hp) electric start engine and auger extensions mounted on a 8.2m (28ft) tandem axle trailer.
Buying power shifted back to Western Australia when CC & LM Penny, Ravensthorpe, needed an extra trailer and purchased the tri-axle 28ft Bosich semi-trailer with near-new tyres and roll tarp for $40,000.
Kojonup producer Melvin Hettnel paid $60,000 for an immaculate 1997 Scania 143M topline prime mover, with a V8 336kW (450hp) power plant and 14 speed gearbox, new tyres and rated 90t for road train specs. It was the highest price paid on the day.
A classic Worsley fire truck was up next, which was an International ACCO C1300 4x4 complete fire fighting unit, with a Holden red motor and Stalker pump with two outlets plus water cannon.
It was purchased by PT & IM Jensen & Sons, Pingrup, for $14,000.
The line of seeding equipment including a boomsprayer, 1998 Case IH 9380 Quadtrac and a 2006 Daybreak 15m (50ft) disc seeder, didn't meet as much competition and were passed-in during the auction.
A 2006 Case IH 8010 header and comb also was passed in but negotiations continued on all passed-in lots at the conclusion of the sale.
