FARMERS attracted to last week's WR Carpenter Agriculture clearing sale at Cataby by the range of machinery on offer, were not disappointed.
There was not only a huge range, but there was more than one of many products.
But anybody coming in search of bargains probably left disappointed, as reserve prices were both conservative and applied, with the top price of $58,000 going for a JCB 531-70 telehandler.
A total of 11 tractors and three telehandlers were offered for sale, with a combination of 4WD, FWA, with and without loaders, including a Case 580K loader and backhoe with ROPS cab that sold for $8000.
To cope with the more than 400 lots, Elders had a range of auctioneers in operation, including Gary Preston, Geraldton and Andrew Farsons, Perth. Gary started off with lot one and was again in charge of the gavel when the top-priced item was sold towards the end of the sale.
There was no harvesting or seeding machinery offered, with the tractors being the big ticket items, including three John Deere 6620 tractors with FWA and loaders.
Two fitted with the JD740 Classic loaders made $40,500 and $37,000 respectively, while the third with a 741 self-levelling loader, sold for $47,000, with the first and last offered going to the same buyer.
A couple of Case tractors were offered, both with FWA and single tyres, with the MX135 selling for $21,000, while a Case IH 8910 was passed in after a bid of $27,000.
A Manitou telehandler sold for $21,000, with all the others being passed in, including an elderly Chamberlain Champion 306 which failed to sell after a bid of $4500 was received.
Four trucks were on offer, ranging from a Dodge Fuso which sold for $200, through to an ACCO 1830A at $1300, an ACCO 1730C tipper for $3000 and an old UD 6 x 4 tipper with a double deck stock crate which made $12,900.
Two Marshall Roesner Multi Spreaders were offered, with the first selling for $4500, while the second, which was fitted with tractor tyres, sold for a more respectable $10,700.
An impressive array of 12 large self-feeders were lined up for sale, all selling with prices ranging from $1000 to $2400.
Hay-making machinery was another feature of the sale, with one of the JD 467 Silage Special round balers selling for $20,000 and although the three MF 1345 disc mower/conditioners were passed in, the NH 1431 Discbine sold for $11,000.
One of the Schinckel hay rakes sold for $11,000, while a smaller Columbia hay rake made $3500.
A Buckton SD160T Forage Wagon sold for $3000, a Scammel No 1 five bale transporter made $15,000, while four Kerry Sidewinders were sold, two at $3000 each and two older models at $1800 and $500.
Some cattle equipment was sold including a cattle crush for $1400, while bundles of cattle gates with frames in various ages and condition sold from $425 to $650.
A couple of grain augers were offered with a Fred Hopkins hydraulic auger going for $12,800 and a mechanical-drive Grain Commander model taken away for $5600.
A CBH Seeder 2000 five-in-one bin with Hobbs Hoists, sold for $4700, an older Jetstream five-in-one bin made $800, while an older model Klimax field bin with PTO auger fetched $1000.
The old statement about "sundries, too numerous to mention" was very true of the Carpenter sale, with such gems as a Pederick PTO drive rock windrower going for $1700 and a heavy duty Trima TPL scoop with hydraulic grab that sold for $1500.
A 800L Silvan distillate tank with 12V pump and hose sold for $900, a couple of Davey fire fighters fetched $460 and $400 respectively, while a Fibre Furn tank with pump and hose made $760.