MUCH like at last year's annual sale the Ledwith family's shed and its adjacent marquee were filled to the brim with top quality rams ready to find new homes on Monday.
The hefty catalogue of Kolindale Merino and Poll Merino rams and Yanda White Suffolks attracted crowds from near and far to the Dudinin farm and secured the stud's position as one of the largest single vendor sales in the country.
In a massive yarding of nearly 500 rams the overall sale reached an epic gross of $735,700, with a singular White Suffolk ram passed in the only thing holding the sale back from an overall 100 per cent clearance, demonstrating the genetics of the Ledwith family studs are sought after by many.
Kolindale Merino and Poll Merino
Stud principal Luke Ledwith and his father Matthew penned 348 Merinos and Poll Merinos which sold to an outstanding average of $1529 - $205 more than at the same time last year.
Every single pen in the Merino and Poll Merino portion of the sale was cleared with the help of some 48 of the 79 registered bidders on the day.
Again, like last year, some hotly contested bidding took place from the first fall of the hammer right through until the end of the afternoon.
Elders auctioneers and stud stock representatives Nathan King and Preston Clarke (aided on the rail by Elders WA stud stock manager Tim Spicer and local Elders livestock agent Paul Keppel) set a quick pace to ensure sprits remained high among the bidders and all 120 Merinos and 228 Poll Merinos found new homes.
In a mammoth selling effort the Merino catalogue grossed $186,000 and averaged $1550 while the Poll Merinos raked in $346,200 and a slightly elevated average of $1518.
Like on many occasions the top-priced ram was found in the first run of the sale catalogue and was sold to a commercial producer.
The hefty, young lot one sire drew plenty of attention to itself from the moment sale goers walked into the shed.
It was Ashley Starcevich, Cramphorne Farms, Muntadgin, who was prepared to go the distance for the big sirey-type ram.
Flanked by his wife Leah, son Kyran and daughter-in-law Rachael, Mr Starcevich battled some hard-fought back and forth from Gnowangerup commercial sheep producer Simon Hill, C & M Hill, who bowed out of the running to allow him to pay $6100 for the Kolindale Jonty-sired horned ram.
The Starcevich family has been a Kolindale client for more than 10 years and joins some 6000 Merino ewes an annual basis.
Last year the Starcevichs also took home the sale's $3500 top-priced horned ram (along with two others) to join to their 250-300 head nucleus flock to breed their own rams.
The same buying tactics were put in place this time round and the $6100 ram (as well as two others purchased from the top end of the catalogue for $2000 and $2400) will run with two of the Kolindale sires purchased last year to service the farm's nucleus flock.
"When buying rams we look for an all-rounder type sire," Mr Starcevich said.
"We buy within the 20-21 micron range and look for the biggest frame we can find without compromising the wool cut and quality.
"Basically we try to get the best of all worlds."
Mr Starcevich always looks to buy horned rams based on the traditional philosophy that they carry better wool.
"It is an excellent ram and has the full package when it comes to wool and physical attributes," he said.
"We had the money in the budget and were prepared to go the distance to make sure we got to take him home."
In terms of its figures, the blade-shorn ram measured a 7.1 GFW, 21 micron, 2.9 SD, 13.8 CV and 99.6 per cent comfort factor.
The top-priced Poll Merino ram (and second top-priced ram of the sale) stood at lot eight and was knocked down to regular Kolindale clients, Beverley-based brothers Damien and Ben Murray.
They held off two other contenders and paid $4700 at the fall of the hammer for what they thought to be the very best ram in the entire shed.
The commercial producers made the most of Kolindale's 2014 $66,000 investment in Collinsville Regal by purchasing its son at lot eight, as was their tendency to be drawn to the upstanding young sire's progeny right throughout the line-up.
For the day the Murrays secured themselves four rams including lot eight for an average of $2475.
The top-priced Poll measured a 5.6 GFW, 21.1 micron, 3.1 SD, 14.7 CV and 99.3pc CF.
The Murray family joins about 4500 ewes with a 20.5 micron flock average each season.
Relatively new to the Poll buying game, the men have recently culled many of their horned rams in a bid to move over to a 100pc Poll flock for ease of management.
"We bought Kolindale Poll Merinos last year and this new lot will also join them to be put over 300 or so of our farm's better ewes."
The first 27 lots in the sale were shed prepared and March shorn while the rest of the paddock run catalogue was shorn in May.
After failing to lock down lot one, Mr Hill remained a very noticeable buyer from the top end of the catalogue and managed to secure 13 rams for an average of $2684.
Volume buyers from the Merino and Poll Merino catalogue included Brindley and Gale Landmark agent Peter Gale, Esperance, on behalf of Simon and Robyn Fowler, Chilwell, Condingup.
Loyal Kolindale clients for more than 10 years, the Fowlers bought 27 Kolindale Merino rams from the stud's Esperance sale on September 5 for a top price of $1500 on three occasions and average of $993.
Mr Gale snapped up 26 at this week's on-property sale for an average of $1300.
"The Fowlers like to target specific studs for their seed stock," Mr Gale said.
"They like the white, soft handling wool from Kolindale and sheep that can handle the kind of weather the Esperance area throws at them."
Others in the volume game included Marlu Farms, Hyden, with 23 for an average of $1887.
E & H Tomsic, Yokine, picked up 17 for a $1629 average while TM & JD Barrett, Jerramungup, bought 16 for an average of $1669.
Woodlands Farm, Yealering, secured a team of 15 for an average of $1353 and MG & M Leach, Corrigin, bought 13 for a $1962 average.
A & A Dirusso & Sons, Hyden, locked in a team of 11, Hyyakka Farms, Newdegate, bought 10 and RBY Mouritz & Co, Hyden, secured nine alongside Denabling Grazing, Narrogin.
Teams of eight were locked in by GC & MD Orchard, Wickepin and Somerford Park Grazing Co, Trayning, while Brooklands Park Pastoral, Pingelly, Dryandra Farms, Pingelly and KJ & BI Couper, Hyden, got seven apiece.
Another 32 buyers also loaded their utes and trucks with Kolindale stock.
Mr Ledwith said it was great to see such positivity in the sheep industry and the stud's big investment in rams alongside its AI program (which inseminates 1600 ewes) is continuing to pay dividends.
"We hope to boost that number up to 2000 head this year," he said.
"It's nice to be rewarded for our efforts.
"Regal is playing a massive role in the breeding program at the moment and we contemplated keeping both the Jonty-sired top-priced Merino and Regal-sired top-priced Poll Merino as stud sires.
"But it wasn't to be."
Mr King said to achieve a full clearance of 348 rams for a $1529 average was an outstanding effort as well as a credit to Kolindale's breeding aim and clients for turning up to support the sale.
"The depth of quality was even better than last year and is a tribute to the Ledwith family and the investment it has made in quality genetics like the Collinsville Regal."
Yanda White Suffolk
Preceding the Kolindale Merino and Poll Merino sale was the Ledwith family's offering of 150 Yanda White Suffolk rams with the team in green out in force.
Nodding their heads throughout the sale were Landmark Esperance's Peter Gale, Roy Addis, Landmark Breeding Services and Garry Prater, Landmark Lake Grace, as they each secured Yanda genetics for their clients.
With 149 out of 150 rams sold, the sale averaged $1366 and reached a gross of $203,500, up from last year's gross of $144,150.
Landmark auctioneer Chris Elliott said the strong sale reflected the current industry prices.
"It was great to see such a quality offering and it is a credit to the vendor," Mr Elliott said.
"Luke certainly deserves the rewards of the day for all the hard work he's put into the Yanda stud since taking it over."
But it was the sale top of $2700 that really made an impression, a big leap up from last year's top price of $1950.
Lot three, an impressive ram weighing in at a whopping 148kg, the heaviest on offer, went home with last year's top price buyers and regular Yanda clients, Wayne and Tara Pittard, Bremer Bay.
The ram measured 44.6 for eye muscle depth and had a fat score of 8.6.
Mr Pittard said they had been buying from Yanda for more than four years because of the consistent quality offered by the stud each year.
"He's got a great frame and we like his size," Mr Pittard said.
"Hopefully he'll perform well in the paddock back at home."
The Pittards bought another ram during the sale for $2200 with a body weight of 135.5kg, eye muscle depth of 46.1 and a fat score of 7.9.
The second top price White Suffolk ram sold on the day for $2600 and went to HJ & MC Hann Pty Ltd, Esperance, represented during the sale by Peter Gale, Landmark Esperance.
Mr Gale was busy, representing a number of buyers during the Yanda sale and again during the Kolindale sale.
The volume buyers of the day were loyal Kolindale and Yanda clients Simon and Robyn Fowler, Chilwell, Condingup, who sent Mr Gale to secure a total 27 White Suffolk rams along with a number of the Kolindale Merinos he bought on their behalf later in the day.
Averaging $1280 with a top of $1600 for their White Suffolk selection, Mr Gale said he was looking for length of body and good muscling.
"The Yanda genetics are really working for the Fowler family which is why they keep coming back," he said.
"If it ain't broke don't fix it. There's really no need for them to look anywhere else when they know the product they can find at Yanda is ideal."
Other volume buyers were Paul and Michelle Cameron, Lake Grace, represented by Garry Prater, Landmark Lake Grace, who secured 15 rams with a top price of $1900, averaging $1297 on behalf of Mr Cameron.
Mr Prater said his clients were long time buyers from Yanda because they know the quality of the sheep offered by the stud is always excellent.
"The consistency across the catalogue makes it easy to walk in and buy a team of rams," Mr Prater said.
It was clear that buyers agreed because 26 buyers in total went home with Yanda rams, almost all buying more than one ram.
Volume buyers included M & D Bennier, Kulin, who went home with 10 Yanda rams at an average of $1145 and BW James & Sons, Hyden, also purchased 10 averaging $1520.
Lake King producers BR West & Co were willing to pay top dollar as they secured seven rams for a high average of $1600 with a top price of $2000.
ND & MJ Argent, Kulin, loaded six rams onto the back of the ute for an average of $1483 and five rams went to Tuncurrin with A & E Quartermaine & Son averaging $1400.
Roy Addis Landmark Breeding, also secured 14 rams at an average of $1021.
Other return buyers included G & CL Varone, Kulin, JG & JD Smith, Lake Grace and Denabling Grazing, Narrogin, who all bought multiple rams during the sale.
A further three rams not offered during the sale sold privately at an average of $3267.
Mr Ledwith was happy with the result of the sale.
"The White Suffolk side of our business has just grown and grown," Mr Ledwith said.
"I've had plenty of positive comments this year from clients who are pleased with how the progeny from Yanda rams are growing and dressing out.
"We've focused heavily on growth in our breeding program so the positive feedback is fantastic to hear.
"Last year we put up 100 head and 150 this year and we hope to continue to increase our offerings in the future."
