WITH more buyers than lines of sheep, the first sheep sale held in five years at Narembeen and Bruce Rock was sure to be a solid one.
Recent rains in the area brought back some optimism and a bounce in buyers' steps, as many braved the chilly wind and occasional raindrop to gauge the current situation of the sheep market.
Conducted by Elders last Friday, the two successive sales attracted interest from all over WA, as well as two lines of 1.5-year-old ewes making their way east to farms in Victoria.
But it was the very first line offered at Bruce Rock comprising of 232, 2.5yo ewes from the Rogers family that were the only sheep to crack the three figure mark, achieving the $102 top price of the day.
The excellent August-shorn ewes with Seven Oaks South and Eastville bloodlines were in high demand, with multiple bidders making sure Elders auctioneer Jarrad Hubbard earned his keep by taking bids from all angles.
The line was purchased by Landmark Corrigin agent Tony Douglass on behalf of an undisclosed buyer, who also bought the next line of 182 3.5yo ewes of the same breeding for $91.
Mr Douglass said the ewes were an outstanding line of large-framed sheep that had been well bred, posessing traits the buyer had been searching for over two years, finally finding them at the Bruce Rock sale.
The ewes were part of a genuine flock dispersal under difficult circumstances by the Rogers family, Quairading, and Mary Jane Rogers thanked Allan, Kim and Todd Rogers for managing the flock over the past six months.
She also expressed her gratitude to Seven Oaks South and Eastville studs, Gibson Shearing and Cunderdin Transport, in addition to Elders agents Adrian Gamble and Kevin Broad for their assistance.
The other three lines offered by the Rogers family included 180 4.5yo ewes which were purchased by Elders Lake Grace for $81, while the 202 5.5yo and 176 6.5yo ewes were picked up by Landmark Kellerberrin agent Rex Luers for $67 and $60 respectively.
Other vendors at the Bruce Rock sale included Coonawarra Farms, Bruce Rock, who put forward four lines of ewes with Belka Valley bloodlines, the majority of which was purchased by Landmark agent Charlie Staite, Mt Barker.
Mr Staite purchased 94 2.5yo August-shorn ewes for $76, followed by 240 3.5yo ewes for $74 before finishing with 168 4.5yo ewes for $69.
Bruce Rock local Darren Kilminster, D & T Kilminster & Co, purchased the remaining line of 124 5.5yo Coonawarra Farms ewes for $53.
Various vendors penned five lines of 1.5yo ewes totalling 1087 head, with JR & W Steel & Son's line of 429 Carriber bloodline ewes topping the category at $87.
The ewes were one of the previously mentioned lines headed east, as they were purchased by Elders Birchip, Victoria.
Tony and Ian Robinson, TF & JM Robinson Pty Ltd, York, wasn't far off the mark, paying $86 for 118 Quailerup West blood, 1.5yo ewes from Meharry Farms in addition to the 105 1.5yo Cramphorne bloodline ewes from KJ & C Kerse for $76.
A line of 325 2.5-3.5yo ewes from Karingal bloodlines was put forward by DI & RJ Smoker, which was purchased for $67 by Allen Hathaway, AC & DA Hathaway & Sons, Brookton.
To round out the Bruce Rock sale were JR & W Steel & Son, who had three lines of ewes from Carriber bloodlines that were August-shorn and attracted strong interest.
The largest line of 586 4.5yo ewes went to Gra-Mel Nominees, Badgingarra, for $68 while the last two lines of 197 5.5yo ewes and 300 6.5-7.5yo ewes went to processors for $53 and $45 respectively.
It was at the Narembeen sheep sale where the day kicked off as the first line of 272 1.5yo ewes from Wanjalonar bloodlines offered by Derek Hooper, Swanara Pty Ltd, Narembeen, achieved the sale top price of $81.
They were bought by Tony and Ian Robinson, TF & JM Robinson Pty Ltd, York, who normally purchased their ewes privately but after struggling to find quality ewes this year, they decided to attend the sale.
"Good lines like that won't be around much this year," Tony said.
"A lot of the sheep we would have normally bought were sold in June when it was dry."
The ewes were mostly commercial as well as a few Wanjalonar stud culls from Mr Hooper's Wanjalonar stud, Narembeen and were purchased by the Robinsons to add to their breeding program at their Mt Walker block.
The Robinsons also purchased the next line of 91 1.5yo ewes with Cramphorne bloodlines offered by K & S Butler for $60.
The other three lines of 1.5yo ewes offered by MC & D Latham, Abbeynauld Farms and D & M Rogers were all purchased by different buyers for $47.
E Brayshaw & Son penned 42 ewe hoggets of Roundhay bloodlines purchased by Elders Esperance for $52, while the vendor's 155 5.5-6.5 ewes of the same breeding made $48 after Bruce Parsons Farms, Narembeen, bought them.
Three lines of wether lambs attracted reasonable interest, with GB Draper's 781 Wanjalonar blood, unshorn wether lambs making $60 which was paid by Elders Kellerberrin and DI & RJ Smoker's 738 April-drop unshorn wether lambs were purchased by Landmark Katanning for $59.
Finishing the Narembeen sale were E Brayshaw & Son with their 286 unshorn wether lambs being snapped up by Westcoast Livestock, Hyden, for $55.
Elders auctioneer Dean Hubbard said they were very happy with the sale and it was a good result for both vendors and buyers, with the last couple of months of improved seasonal conditions making a difference.
