A LARGE crowd in attendance at last week's Elders Mingenew sheep sale led to competitive buying, with prices reaching a top of $151 for 1.5-year-old Merino ewes.
A total of just over 5000 sheep, including Merino ewes and wether lambs and a line of Prime SAMM ewes were offered in the sale.
Bidding was strong, and dominated by mainly locals, who pushed the average price of the ewe lines to $121, while the lambs averaged $74.
In comparison, last year's sale saw the ewe lines average $98 and wether lambs average $76.
Local vendors Koranga Farming Co, Mingenew, took home the top price for a line of 216 1.5yo Merino ewes, which sold for $151 to Morawa growers GJ & TA Tapscott.
The April shorn ewes, based on the operation's own bloodlines boasted quality wool and large-framed bodies.
The Tapscotts went on to purchase two more lines of 1.5-year-old ewes.
The second top-priced line of ewes saw buyers from further afield snapping up 548 1.5yo Merino ewes offered by Falconer Grain, Carnamah.
Successful bidders for the line of August shorn ewes were Lortleaze Holdings, Cascade.
Eastern States' buyers were also bidding successfully at the sale with Elders Eastern States paying $135 for a strong line of 368 1.5yo August shorn ewes offered by VR & BJ Elsegood, Mingenew.
Walkaway producers EC & ED Hamersley took a liking to the older ewes on offer, purchasing all of the 2.5yo and 5.5yo Merino ewe lines at the sale.
The 117 2.5yo, September shorn, Woolkabin blood ewes offered by PE & EJ Dempster, Mingenew, were sold for $105.
The older 5.5yo ewes had strong competition from buyers and prices topped at $98 for a line of 339 Ejanding blood ewes, offered by Shannandale Pty Ltd, Perenjori, when also purchased by EC & ED Hamersley.
Wether lambs also sold well at the sale, where the top price climbed to $77 for unshorn lambs.
Offered by Whites Barara, Eneabba, the large line of 407 lambs were purchased by D & A Verrall & Son, Three Springs.
Following this line, Whites Barara offered a line of 406 wether lambs, which was knocked down to K & M Eastough, Chapman Valley, for $75.
A line of 97 mixed aged Prime SAMM ewes offered by CR & RH Forward sold to Mandar Pastoral Company, Kalbarri, for $102.
