Return buyers lift Eastville to $3000

Like previous years the strength of the sale was the consistent bidding from a long list of return buyers throughout, which resulted in rams frequently being knocked down between $1000 and $1600 by Elders auctioneer Don Morgan.

But there were still opportunities for buyers to select rams between $600-$800 to suit their respective budgets.

By the end, 154 of the 161 rams offered had been sold at an average of $1431, which was back $34 on last year's average of $1465 when the stud sold 147 out of 150 rams offered.

The Merino offering saw all 66 rams offered sell for an average of $1530 (back $101 on last year), while in the Poll Merino run 88 from the 95 rams offered sold for an average of $1357 (up $44 on last year) .

Mr Morgan was very happy with the result and said it was a solid sale with a good clearance and average.

"To offer and sell more rams this year at nearly the same average is very pleasing," Mr Morgan said.

"The rams penned up very well and the line-up was very even, they were a credit to the Doncon family.

"It was a top presentation of good white wools on good, large framed rams."

With such an even line-up of quality Merino and Poll Merino rams all showing excellent wool and carcase traits buyers were spoilt with plenty of choices to fill their utes and trailers.

Attracting the most interest from buyers was an upstanding Merino sire more than halfway through the Merino offering in lot 37.

Bidding started at $1500 on the stylish woolled ram and quickly rose until only two buyers were left to fight it out.

In the end it was buyers of three years, Glen and Ian Garard, GL & GA Garard, Hyden, who came out on top of the bidding war when they placed their bid of $3000 and were written in the books as the successful buyers.

Glen Garard said the ram had both good wool and a good frame size.

"He is a big ram with a nice fine, white wool," Mr Garard said.

"We like the Eastville sheep as they are big boned, growthy sheep and are heavy cutters."

The 111 kilogram deep-bodied, square ram carried current wool figures of 21.1 micron, 3.8 SD and 98.2 per cent comfort factor.

Also during the sale the Garards purchased another two Merinos at $2400 and $1500.

This year they intend to mate 1000 ewes to Merinos.

The $2900 second top price in the sale was also achieved in the Merino run when a deep, stretchy, well-covered ram was knocked down at this value to Ken Gray & Co, High Valley stud, Tarin Rock.

The crimpy, white woolled ram weighed 96.5kg and had wool figures of 23.3 micron, 3.6 SD, 97.4pc CF.

Wickepin operation Brialee Farms was another to bid up strongly in the Merino run paying $2800 and $2500 for its selections.

Its $2800 sire weighed 106kg and measured 21.0 micron, 4.1 SD and 98.6pc CF in the wool.

Clients of more than 12 years Brian and Charlie Young, WG Young & Co, Kondinin, purchased at the top end of the Merino catalogue for their operation.

The Youngs purchased six rams at an average of $1950 and paid to a top of $2400 for a 102kg, 22.3 micron, 99.1pc CF ram.

The Youngs said they liked the Eastville genetics because they suited the Wheatbelt conditions.

"They are a dual-purpose type, with good size and wool cut," they said.

Badgingarra producers Graham and Melanie White, Gra-Mel Nominees, may have lost out on securing the top-priced ram but they put the disappointment behind them to secure six Merinos to a top of $2400 and an average of $1900.

They also secured a Poll sire at $2100.

Matching the Whites on most rams was an undisclosed Wheatbelt client, who secured eight Merinos at an average of $1825.

The operation's team included a ram at $2500 which weighed in at 108.5kg and measured 23.2 micron, 3.8 SD and 97.3pc CF in the wool.

Return buyer Richard Smith & Sons, Goomalling, bid strongly as well in the Merino offering, purchasing seven sires to a top of $1800 and an average of $1429.

The operation also secured a poll ram at $1000.

In the Poll Merino run prices hit a high of $2400 on three occasions, securing the first ram at this value was Ken Littlejohn, who was purchasing on behalf of return buyer Noel Brayshaw, E Brayshaw & Son, Narembeen.

Mr Littlejohn said Mr Brayshaw had gone through the rams earlier on in the day before going to Perth.

"We picked this ram out as he is a good correct sheep, with a good quality wool," Mr Littlejohn said.

The stretchy, long-stapled, white woolled ram weighed in at 101.5kg and measured 21.1 micron, 3.1 SD and 99.6pc CF.

Along with the $2400 sire, Mr Littlejohn also secured another four rams for the Brayshaw account to finish with five at an average of $1560.

The second ram to sell at $2400 was secured by return buyers of eight years Alf and Adam Watts, LR Watts & Co, West Pingelly.

The upstanding, productive, long-stapled ram weighed 91kg and had wool figures of 20.1 micron, 3.2 SD and 99.3pc CF.

Adam Watts said he inspected the sale team at the stud's on-property field day and was impressed by the purple tags which go back to an Olinda sire.

"This ram was one of the purple tags and he shows really good wool quality - it's bright and white," Mr Watts said.

By the end of the Poll run the Watts had purchased a total of 12 rams at an average of $1225 to be the equal volume buyer in the Poll run.

The final ram to hit the $2400 mark was bought by return buyer Mt Sheridan Farms, Varley.

It paid the value for a upstanding, deep-bodied sire which weighed 101.5kg and measured 23.4 micron, 3.4 SD, 98.1pc CF.

Like the Watts', Mt Sheridan Farms finished with an even dozen Poll rams at an average of $1508.

Return buyer of 10 years Richard Milne, MA Milne & Co, may not have purchased any of the top-priced Poll sires but he certainly wasn't afraid to bid up on the Polls he selected.

Mr Milne, who is looking to mate 2000 ewes to Merinos this season, purchased eight polls at an average of $1788 and paid to a top of $2200 for a 104.5kg, 21.6 micron, 98.9pc CF ram.

Buying in only his second year Geoff Poultney, GT & B Poultney, East Pingelly, was also strong on the top end Polls purchasing three to a top of $2100 and an average of $1833.

He also purchased two Merinos at $1600 and $1000.

Another strong buyer in the Poll Merino offering after purchasing two Merinos at $1700 and $1100 was regular buyer Dean Warburton, D & D Warburton, Wandering.

Mr Warburton, who will mate 6000 Merino ewes (80pc to Merinos), finished the Poll run with a team of 11 rams at an average of $1600, which included two sires at $2300.

The biggest buyer on the day was long-term Kulin client Geoff Hodgson, Jefan Pty Ltd, with a team of 11 Merinos and 11 Poll Merinos.

Mr Hodgson, who has been buying at the stud since the mid-1970s averaged $964 across his Merino team and $936 across his Poll draft.

Mr Hodgson said the main reason he kept returning to Eastville was the rams offered good value and the Doncons provide good back-up support.