IT was another very strong result for Wiringa Park studmaster Allan Hobley and family at the Wiringa Park annual on-property ram sale south of Nyabing on Monday.
Again the Hobley family’s large machinery shed, which was converted to a ram shed with the open side facing east, gave good protection and comfort against a strong westerly wind.
This added to the comfort of both the rams and the buyers, with the concrete floor covered throughout with a green synthetic covering, preventing slipping and the need for hay in the pens.
It was the first Poll Merino offered by Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren which saw spirited bidding from two stud breeders before it was finally knocked down at $6100 to the Lingmer Poll Merino stud, Douglas, near Horsham, Victoria.
This was not the first Wiringa Park ram to go to the Lingmer stud - stud principal Darryl Hobbs and his wife Sherin negotiated the purchase of one at $5000 from a pen of three shown by Wiringa Park at the 2011 Katanning Show & Sale.
They then followed up, buying tag 514 for $4000 with Wiringa Park retaining some semen and Mr Hobbs said he was very pleased with progeny of 514 in this year’s sale.
Mr Hobbs breeds rams for use in his own stud, which has about 1500-heads ewes run commercially and was determined to secure the first in the offering by East Mundalla 81, a sire purchased in 2016 by the Eastville Park stud, Wickepin with Wiringa Park obtaining one of three semen shares.
Mr Hobbs said the ram was a very well-nourished woolled sire with a stylish wool.
“He also stands square and has a very good sire’s head,” Mr Hobbs said.
It has current wool figures of 18.1 micron, 2.8 SD, 15.2 CV and 99.7 per cent comfort factor (CF) and a current bodyweight of 112 kilograms.
Woodyarrup stud principal Craig Dewar, Broomehill, was the losing bidder on the top-priced ram and after missing out on it, he went on to buy lots three, four and five at $3100, $4100, which was second top price of the sale followed by the third ram at $3000.
From then on it was a strong list of return clients no doubt very pleased with the rams presented to them and they bid accordingly, however some clients, due to what has been a pretty ordinary 2018 season for them, did not require the same number as in past years.
Similar to previous years, 140 rams were offered however the stud has swung to offering more Poll Merinos, reducing the Merino offering.
Poll numbers have risen from 85 in 2016 to 100 in 2017 and this year there were 128 penned, meaning there were only 12 Merinos offered.
All 12 Merinos sold up to $3800, this paid by PS Clime & Co, Cranbrook, who bought another Merino along with two Polls at $3400 and $3600.
Last year they bought only from the Merino offering.
Another to “make the change” across to Polls was Neil Hobley trading as Compass Ag, Nyabing, who last year only purchased from the Merino offering, but commenting after the sale, said he may move over to Polls as a natural progression.
At the sale on Monday five rams were knocked down to Compass Ag, two Merinos up to $2100 and three Polls up to $3500.
There were numerous volume buyers operating throughout with Mark Sullivan, Bellakin Grazing Co, Katanning, who has been buying from Wiringa Park for the past five years going home with 14 Polls at up to $3300, while the next volume buyer was Ken Mills, WG Mills & Co, with 11 Polls purchased up to $2800.
Another four return clients, Mark Garard, ST & KN Garard, Pingaring, Chad Mills, RA Mills & Co, Aldersyde and locals Neville Harris, Dualling Partners and Trevor Badger, TH & DJ Badger, all purchased 10 head each from the Poll offering.
Of the 22 potential buyers registered all but one, another stud breeder, purchased from the offering, however, some went home with less than they bought last year.
Speaking after the sale, Allan Hobley said it had been a pretty challenging season to get the rams to the point they were at come sale time and he was very pleased with the result and was aware through speaking with clients that in some instances they had needed to undertake flock reductions as along with themselves it has been a hard season for many.
He also said that they will be heading to an all Poll operation as they have been reducing the numbers in their Merino stud and as such buyers appear quite content in moving over to the Poll catalogue.
Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren also commented on the buying support in the Poll Merino section of the catalogue.
He said it was another great line-up throughout, with all rams showing great frames and wool cut, complemented by the figures in the catalogue and there was a strong return of regular clients with some there for the first time.
Mr Warren also said the rams showed the signs of the commitment and passion that the Hobley family gives to its stud.