THE Kolindale Esperance ram sale again received good support from a loyal band of locals who pushed prices to a $2900 top on Monday.
While there are never a large number of buyers that register at the sale – this year there was 18 – they were all there to buy and buy in volume.
For the 2018 sale, the Ledwith family, Kolindale stud, Dudinin, trucked down 100 Merino and Poll Merino rams for the sale and sold 85 of them under the hammer.
For the first time at the sale the Merinos were accompanied on the truck by 19 White Suffolk rams which sold to good demand for a 100 per cent clearance and a $1700 top price.
In the breakdown of the Merinos and Poll Merinos on offer, there were 59 Merinos offered and 44 sold under the hammer to a top of $2900 and a $1586 average, while the 41 Poll Merinos offered achieved a 100pc clearance to a top of $2200 twice and an average of $1724.
Elders auctioneer Preston Clarke said it was a good result for the Kolindale stud.
“It was a very good line-up of rams that are heavy cutters with fine-medium wools,” Mr Clarke said.
“As we have seen at sales already held this year, buyers were selective and the better rams in the offering attracted good competition throughout the sale.
“As always at this sale there was strong support from regular, loyal clients who have followed the Kolindale stud for many years.”
The top price ram of the sale was bought by Peter and Linda McCrea, Salmon Gums, who are long-time supporters of the Kolindale Esperance sale.
The crowd had to wait until lot 26 of the sale to see the $2900 top price set, with Mr McCrea saying the Merino ram had everything he was looking for.
“He had a good body and stylish wool,” Mr McCrea said.
“This ram will fit in well to our breeding program and will complement our existing flock.”
The ram had wool tests of 19 micron, 3 SD, 15.8 CV, 99.6 per cent comfort factor and 7.2 greasy fleece weight.
The McCreas bought two rams in total, paying $2100 for a Poll Merino ram also.
The second top price of the sale was set at $2400 and came very late in the catalogue at lot 78.
Again this ram was bought by a long-term Kolindale client when the Ietto family, Shalimah Farms, Grass Patch, had the winning bid.
The Merino ram tested at 17 micron, 3.4 SD, 20 CV and 99.7pc CF.
Again the Iettos put together a large team taking home nine Merino rams in total and also paid the $2300 equal third top price of the sale for a 16.1 micron and 99.5pc CF ram.
Phillips River Grazing, Ravensthorpe, also went to $2300 in its six-ram buying spree.
Its top price ram was found in lot 54 and tested at 18.5 micron, 3.6 SD, 19.5 CV, 99.2pc CF with a 5.2 GFW.
In the Poll offering a top of $2200 was set on two occasions throughout the sale.
The first was paid by GL & AM Harris, Grass Patch, who took home lot nine at that money.
This ram tested at 16 micron, 2.7 SD, 16.9 CV, 99.9pc CF and 5.4 GFW.
The Harris family bought six Poll Merinos in total.
The $2200 mark was hit again in lot 14, this time paid by GB & MP Harris, Grass Patch.
Another loyal client, they took a liking to the 19.7 micron, 3.2 SD, 16.2 CV, 99.4pc CF and 5.8 GFW Poll in lot 14.
The Harris family were also volume buyers taking six Polls in total.
As is usually the case at this sale, it was once again the Fowler family, Chilwell, Condingup, that was the volume buyer.
With Landmark Esperance agent Peter Gale carrying out the buying duties, 20 rams (14 Merinos and six Polls) to a top of $2000 twice headed out east to service the significant Chilwell ewe flock.
Also having an impact on the sale in terms of numbers bought was DD & EM Wiech, West River.
They were after all Polls and took home 12 in total to a top of $2100.
p White Suffolk
The first offering of White Suffolk rams to be offered at the Kolindale stud’s Esperance sale was well received with a 100pc clearance of the 19 rams on offer to a top of $1700 and an $805 average.
Local stud Greendale White Suffolks, run by Andrew and Rosalie Hann were the successful bidders on the top price ram, which weighed in at 94kg, with figures of 45.3 for muscle and 5 for fat.
Mr Hann, who has used Kolindale genetics in his stud before, said the ram appealed for its length of body.
“It is a great representation of the White Suffolk breed and is very long with good figures,” Mr Hahn said.
“I liked the overall appearance of the ram as soon as I saw him.”
Again it was Mr Gale that dominated proceedings in the White Suffolk offering buying 12 of the 19 rams on offer on behalf of Chilwell.
All 12 rams were bought at $700 each.
Others to buy White Suffolks included DJ, MDJ & M Milne, Condingup, who took three to a top of $1100 and GB & MP Harris, who bought two.