Mullan family sale hits $1345 average

With strong support from a long list of return buyers from both studs and a scattering of new clients, competition on the catalogue was solid throughout to ensure an impressive sale average of $1345 over the large offering and a top of $4900.

The Mullan family purchased the Quailerup West stud at the end of last year from the Scanlon family with the aim of increasing their stud breeding operation.

And if the sale result is anything to go by the investment was certainly worth it and the new combination of Eastville Park and Quailerup West appears to be a match made in heaven with many buyers purchasing from both studs during the sale.

When the final ram was knocked down by the Landmark auctioneering tag team of Michael Altus and Terry Norrish and the figures crunched, the Mullan family had cleared 234 rams out of 240 offered from the two studs at an average of $1345.

In comparison last year the two combined sales saw 229 rams sold from 244 offered at an average of $1277, meaning the average was up $68 on top of an additional five rams being sold.

In the breakdown the Mullans offered 130 Merinos and sold 125 under the hammer to a top of $4500 and an average of $1349 while in the Poll Merino side of the catalogue they cleared 109 from 110 offered at an average of $1289 and a top of $3000.

Mr Altus said it was a strong sale throughout and a pleasing result for the Mullan family given their investment in the industry.

"The investment by the Mullan family in purchasing the Quailerup West stud last year was good to see, it shows their belief in the industry and the breed and shows they are in it for the long haul," Mr Altus said.

"The sale was well supported by the Quailerup West clients along with their Eastville Park buyers and this ensured a good clearance.

"It was solid throughout and this was certainly an indication of the quality and eveness of the line-up.

"To achieve a near total clearance over such a large offering and average more than $1300 is a great result, the sale is just another indication of where the sheep industry and season are at."

Mr Norrish was also extremely happy with the result and said it was a very buoyant sale with a very good clearance and average.

"It was great to see strong support throughout the sale from previous buyers of both studs and there was even a cross over with some buyers purchasing from both studs, which augurs well for the future as they are similar types of rams," he said.

"It was also pleasing to see a few new faces also operating in the sale which added competition throughout.

"It was a great result for the Mullan family given their purchase of the Quailerup West stud last year."

Stud co-principal Grantly Mullan was equally as happy with the result and said they were extremely pleased with the final outcome and the support received from clients of both studs.

"We once again had fantastic support from our existing Eastville Park clients and this was matched by the support of the Quailerup West clients, which helped ensure the strong result," he said.

"We had also had a few new clients to both studs operating and this added competition and helped us achieve a near total clearance.

"It appears the season and current markets have given producers confidence to reinvest in Merinos which is great to see."

It didn't take long for the $4900 top price to be set, when buyers made their intentions felt as Mr Altus offered up a stretchy, deep Eastville Park ram with plenty of wool on it in lot five.

After taking an opening bid of $2000 on the upstanding, square ram, the auctioneering team was kept busy fielding bids from the large buying gallery.

In the end it was Eastville Park's top-priced buyer from last year Mark Blechynden, Burnside stud, Brookton, who outlasted the competition to ensure his son Toby went home with a 21st birthday present he will never forget.

Mr Blechynden said they were impressed by the ram's size and wool cut.

"He is a great, big, upstanding sheep - he is the biggest ram in the shed," Mr Blechynden said.

"On top of his size and structure he is going to cut a lot of wool.

"We are looking for sheep that are going to make us money and this ram will do that."

The heavy cutting, March shorn, 121 kilogram ram, which was by East Mundalla Jonty, had current wool figures of 19.6 micron, 3.2 SD, 99.7 per cent comfort factor, a greasy fleece weight (GFW) of 6kg and an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 40mm.

It had ASBVs of 8.5 YWT, -0.9 YFAT, -1.0 YEMD, 23.6 YCFW and -1.7 YFD and indexes of 164 MP+ and 156 DP+, making it a trait leader for both indexes as well as YWT and YCFW.

The Blechyndens will use the ram in their 600-head stud flock to breed rams for their commercial Merino ewe flock which totals 3000 head.

The second top price in the sale was $4750 for an Eastville Park Merino sire in lot one paid by return buyer Darren Kirby, DC & DM Kirby, Dudinin.

Mr Kirby, who will use the ram in a nucleus flock to breed rams for his own use, said the ram had a nice, long-stapled, bright, crimpy wool and a good structure.

The 118kg March shorn sire, had wool figures of 19.4 micron, 3.1 SD, 99.8pc CF, 5.6kg GFW and an 39mm EMD.

It is a trait leader for YWT (8.0) and DP index (142).

In the Quailerup West side of the catalogue prices hit a high of $3500 (third top price overall) for a Merino sire which was snapped up by return buyers of 12 years Des and Yvonne Haywood, DA & YM Haywood, Goomalling.

Mr Haywood said the ram was a good all-round sheep with nice balance, a good head and a beautiful, stylish wool.

"He has a good bodyweight and comfort factor," he said.

The deep, square ram weighed in at 106kg and measured 17.9 micron, 3.4 SD and 99.6pc CF in the wool and had an EMD of 33.4mm.

The Haywoods, who will mate 1050 ewes to Merinos this season, also purchased another two Quailerup West Merinos both at $3100.

The top price for a Poll Merino sire was $3000 and it was achieved by an Eastville Park Poll March shorn Poll ram which was from a Coromandel Sir Thomas (ET2) syndicate mating.

The long-stapled, stretchy ram was purchased by the King family, King Farming Pty Ltd, Calingiri, who are long time Quailerup West clients.

The 114kg ram measured 18.7 micron, 3.6 SD and 99.7pc CF in the wool and had an EMD of 37mm

The ram was part of a team of seven Polls (six from Eastville Park and one from Quailerup West), which averaged $2300 and three Merinos (two Quailerup West and one Eastville Park) that averaged $1833 purchased by the family.

Matching the Kings on many of the top Eastville Park Polls was regular Eastville Park buyer Damian O'Driscoll, T & L O'Driscoll, Grass Valley, who secured three sires to a top of $2300 and average of $2000.

The volume buyer in the sale was second year Eastville Park client Peter Daniel, PM & J Daniel, Jerramungup, who is running 8000 Merino ewes, of which 3000 will be mated to Merinos.

Throughout the sale Mr Daniel showed no preferences when selecting his team which topped at $1600 for an Eastville Park Poll sire.

His ute load home was made up of 11 Polls (nine Eastville Park) at an average of $1091 and five Merinos (four Quailerup West) at an average of $800.

Quailerup West client of more than 20 years John Hallam, JP & YL Hallam, was also in the thick of action on many of the top sires and by sale's end he had put together a team of six Quailerup West Merinos to a top of $2500 and an average of $1917.

Another to bid up strongly on the top end was return Eastville Park buyers KC & GM Spark & Son, Tincurrin, paying to a top of $1900 for an Eastville Park Merino.

They showed no preference to horn or polled rams and finished with a team of three Merinos (two Eastville Park and one Quailerup West) at an average of $1733 and seven Eastville Park Polls for an average of $1457.

Return Quailerup West client Irwin Moyses & Co, Wagin, bidding through Landmark Wagin agent Peter Foley operated strongly throughout the catalogue and finished with a team of nine Merinos at an average of $1667, which included six Quailerup West sires and one Eastville Park Poll at $1900.

Longtime Eastville Park buyer Jay Robertson, CJ Robertson & Sons, Kulin, was also front and centre on many of the top rams.

He averaged $1420 over a team of five Merinos which included four Eastville Parks, to go along with two Eastville Park polls he purchased at $1900 and $1500.

Eastville Park clients MP Taylor & Co, Wagin and SS & P Martin, Wickepin, operated purely on the Eastville Park Poll offering.

The Wagin operation averaged $1306 across a team of nine, while the Martins secured nine at a $1222 average.

Operating purely in the Quailerup West Polls return buyers J & R Matthews, Brookton, secured seven at a $1643 average while Eighty Six Gate Farms, Kulin, purchased 11 at $1200 average.

Four long-term Quailerup West clients Meharry Farms, Bruce Rock, MJ & LJR Dearlove & Son, Dudinin, TW Hardacre & Co, Williams and Dohle & Co, Wagin, were all very active on only the Quailerup West Merino sires and purchased large teams.

The Dearloves purchased the biggest team - 15 at a $1353 average, while Meharry Farms secured 14 at an $1114 average, TW Hardacre averaged $1358 across a team of 12 and Dohle & Co purchased 11 for an $886 average.

The Dearloves also purchased an Eastville Park Poll at $900.