ALTHOUGH the season has been somewhat variable over many parts of the agricultural region compared to last year, the first of the spring off-shears sheep sales, the Elders Corrigin and Wickepin Top of the Drop Special Ewe sale, received widespread support resulting in prices hitting a high of $184 for 1.5-year-old ewes.
Just over 8500 head were penned between the Corrigin and Wickepin saleyards, including just on 1700 wether lambs in the Corrigin yards, with the balance being in the main spring-shorn ewes.
Fifty four potential buyers registered from a widespread area including the Wheatbelt, Great Southern and South West and with the values paid overall, most vendors would have been pretty happy given the season in general.
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Local Corrigin Elders representative Kate Varis would have been pleased with her first sale result and the yarding she presented to 37 buyers who registered for that leg of the sale.
Elders auctioneer Dean Hubbard got the sale underway with five outstanding lines of August shorn ewes offered on behalf of Russell and Sandra Murray, CS & AR Murray & Son, Kulin, who were dispersing the majority of their flock.
Bred on Eastville blood over many years, the flock has been classed regularly by Elders stud and commercial sheep classer Kevin Broad.
First up was a line of 294 big-framed, red tag, 1.5yo ewes and after some good competition, these were knocked down at $176 to Brendan Maher, Rockdale Farming, Muntadgin.
Mr Maher said he was buying at the sale as his family had purchased more land and would be increasing their sheep numbers.
The second line of 268 blue tag, 2.5yo ewes then went at $159 to Richard Priestley, Priestley Nominees Pty Ltd, Wotatting, with the losing bidder being Elders Mingenew.
The third line offered was the largest and comprised of 307 red tag, 3.5yo ewes, which were knocked down at $156 and were off to Newdegate after being purchased by Barry Rick, BB & PM Rick.
The 288 head of 4.5yo ewes went to R & LM Bradford and Sons, Kulin, at $131 before the final draft of 198 5.5yo ewes sold at $100 to Mark Wood, M & PK Wood, Green Range.
Speaking after the sale Mr Murray said he had been breeding sheep for 60 years and was very proud of the offering and very pleased with the result and the widespread interest in their sheep.
Following on from the Murray’s sheep it was the young ewes which were up next.
These saw a top of $129 paid for 179 Chirniminup blood Dohne infused, July shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by Rockwell Farms when they were knocked down to PR & LR Coles, Wagin.
Another small line of 104 August shorn, Poondara blood, 1.5yo ewes from J Ashley & Co went at $126 while another line of 117 August shorn, Eastville blood, 1.5yo ewes from the Murray family sold at $122.
Both lines were bought by Elders Mingenew agent Ross Tyndale-Powell.
A large line of 430 freshly-shorn 1.5yo ewes and another of 197 July shorn ews of the same age were good buying when they were knocked down at just $88.
Next came just one line of 181 February shorn 5.5yo Eastville blood offered account WG Young & Co and at $123 these were bought by Swanara Pty Ltd, Narembeen.
One of the lines of the day was a draft of 480 July shorn, Trevino blood, wether lambs offered by Trevino Farms and at $120 Mr Hubbard knocked then down to Mike Page, RA & D Page, Pingelly.
Another large line of 396 September shorn Rutherglen blood wether lambs from AL & S Crossland went at $108 while a line of 213 unshorn Rutherglen blood wether lambs offered by T & D Hughes sold at $111, with Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) being the buyer of both lines.
Also going to LSS at $100 were 245 August shorn, Old Aprelia blood wether lambs from A & P Oetiker, the seconds of these 135 head in total made $71 and a second run of 178 head from T & D Hughes went at $78.
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There was the usual line-up of annual drafts from clients who regularly support this special sale.
The offering was made up 16 lines which comprised of just on 4500 ewes.
The top price for this section of the sale and the sale overall came very early on when the second line offered sparked interest among buyers.
The line of 537 March shorn, 1.5yo ewes based on Lewisdale-Corrigin breeding from first-time vendors in the sale TB & SM McCreery, Kalannie, certainly caused a stir after Mr Hubbard received an opening bid of $165.
In the end it got down to a two-way tussle until at $184 the whole draft went to regular buyers at this fixture, Peter and Jim Johnston, MM & MJ Johnston Boyup Brook, who were accompanied by Elders Boyup Brook agent Peter Forrest.
The losing bidder on the line was Landmark Mt Barker agent, Harry Carroll, who went on to secure the next line offered, 390 September shorn, Nepowie blood 1.5yo ewes from RB & B Lay, Lake Grace, at $127 for Watterson Estate.
The first line offered in the sale was of 321 February shorn, Barloo and Pyramid Poll blood, 1.5yo ewes from Morlup Nominees and these went to Swallowdale Grazing, Mt Barker, at $141.
A large line of 584 August shorn, Rutherglen blood 1.5yo ewes in from regular vendors Greg and Ben Doyle, PJ & EJ Doyle, were offered up with buyers having the option to take half or the lot.
With the final bid of $152 Mr Carroll said he would take half at that figure, the losing bidder Greg Cake, RL Cake & Co, Gairdner, secured the other half at $151.
The second top price of the sale was $175 paid for 218 September shorn 1.5yo ewes based on Wallinar and East Mundalla breeding from AT & D Morgan, Tarin Rock and this line was knocked down to Mark Zweck, MP & KL Zweck, Lake Grace.
Bruce Jensen and family trading as Jensen Holdings offered three lines in the sale and the family’s first line comprised of 249 September shorn, Nepowie blood, 1.5yo ewes.
The line was bought at $152 by Mr Tyndale Powell.
Another larger line of 394 ewes of the same age and shearing and also based on Nepowie blood from McDougall Bros went at $133 to Green Range buyer, Mark Wood, M & PK Wood, who had earlier purchased at the Corrigin sale.
From another McDougall family, M & LJ McDougall, was a draft of 132 August shorn, Darijon blood, youngsters and it sold at $134 to Greg Cake, who has also purchased earlier in the sale.
Six other lines of these young ewes all sold ranging in values of $90 through to $129.
Next came the other two lines from Bruce Jensen and family, Jensen Holdings, Pingaring, to finish off the sale.
Both lines were outstanding for their age and frame.
The first of the two offered was 276 September shorn, Nepowie blood, 4.5yo ewes which had a start at $120 and went through to $141 when they were finally knocked down to the buyer of the top-priced lambs at Corrigin, Mike Page.
The last line, from the Jensens were one year older, but were of the same breeding, shearing and frame and the 221 head sold at $121 to G & RJ Ballard, Narrogin.
