IT was another outstanding result for the Gooding and Robinson families at their annual East Mundalla Merino and Poll Merino on-property ram sale last week.
Firstly 129 Poll Merino and 86 Merino rams were offered with all 215 selling to an average of $2573, which was up $547 compared to last year’s sale where 210 rams were offered and sold for an average of $2026.
There were 56 buyer registrations and this included 13 from registered Merino and Poll Merino stud breeders including one from interstate and seven of these stud breeders bid successfully on a total of 12 rams.
Auctioneering duties were shared by the Elders selling team of Nathan King and Preston Clarke with the rams initially offered in runs of 30 head.
p Poll Merino
All up the 129 Poll Merinos sold to average $2657, up from $2152 last year when 101 head were sold.
The top price last year was $16,600 but it went even higher this year when the top-priced ram was knocked down by Mr King at $16,750 to Landmark Breeding representative Mitchell Crosby.
Mr Crosby was bidding on behalf of Les and Ashley Sutherland, Arra-dale stud, Perenjori, who annually offer about 120 rams at their Carnamah ram sale.
Unable to attend the sale due to their sale being the next day, they left the buying order with Mr Crosby after identifying the ram with him at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, Victoria, in July.
Mr Crosby said they were impressed by the overall structure of the ram, along with its purity and long-stapled white wool.
“He also has very good figures as well in terms of his wool and carcase,” Mr Crosby said.
The ET-bred ram, which is by Imperial 141 and out of Masterbuilt 31611, has wool figures of 23 micron, 3.1 SD, 13.5 CV and 99.4 per cent comfort factor (CF), while on the carcase front it has a current bodyweight of 115 kilograms and an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 46mm.
At the Australian Sheep & Wool Show it was sashed the reserve champion March shorn strong wool Poll Merino ram.
The losing bidder on the ram was Craig Doney, TB Doney & Co, Harrismith, whose family are regular buyers of East Mundalla sires and last year bought the top-priced Poll ram at $16,600.
However Mr Doney had a second choice in lot 28 which he secured at $9400, the third top price in the Poll offering.
The losing bidders this time were Ross and Nathan Ditchburn, Golden Hill stud, Kukerin, who later bought two at $5000 and $4900.
The second highest priced Poll was lot five with Mr Crosby again doing the damage and securing it at $10,200 for John and Sam Higham, Culbin Park stud, Williams, who were at the sale.
Losing out on this ram was Paul Ardagh, Karingal stud, Kondinin.
Jason Griffiths, Canowie Fields stud, Gairdner, was also in the hunt for a Poll sire and purchased one at $8300, with the losing bidder again being the Karingal stud while Koolanooka, Morawa, picked up four rams with one of these being knocked down at $7750.
Other higher priced Polls saw one at $4500 go to TR & DK Edwards, Dumbleyung, two went at $4400 and $4000 to the Adams family trading as Kullaroo Pty Ltd and one at $3900 to the Rangeview stud, Darkan.
Volume buyers throughout the offering of Poll Merinos saw MJ & PN Nicholls, Lake King, go home with 10 head as did PW & LM Cameron & Son, Lake Grace, while NF West & Co, Dumbleyung went to a top of $3300 in their selection of six head with numerous other buyers going home having purchased between two to five head to register a total clearance by auction.
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Where 12 months ago the 90 Merino rams offered and sold for the average price of $1841, this year’s sale saw the 86 Merino rams offered and sold for an average of $2489, meaning an improvement in the average of $648 compared to last year.
As with the Poll Merino offering, it was the first Merino ram offered which topped the section at $11,200 when it was knocked down to Wanjalonar stud principal Derek Hooper, Narembeen, who was the losing bidder on the top-priced Merino ram last year.
Mr Hooper and his Elders stud stock consultant Kevin Broad had a close inspection of the ram at last month’s Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Sale in Katanning and at his knock down price at last week’s sale Mr Hooper said the ram was still within his budget.
Mr Hooper has been buying sires from East Mundalla over the past 15 years, said this new sire by Jonty 137 had very pleasing wool figures of 20.9 micron, 3.7 SD, 17.7 CV and 98.9pc CF with a current bodyweight of 122kg and a 40mm EMD.
Mr Hooper also purchased a Poll sire from East Mundalla at the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo & Sale this year and said he has also been breeding Poll rams for the last four to five years and now has a good mix of both Merino and Poll Merino clients many of whom purchased rams at his annual on-property sale two weeks ago where he sold 83 rams.
The losing bidder on the top Merino ram was Colin Ball, Dongolocking Farming, Dumbleyung, who went on to purchase the third ram offered at $7200.
The $7200 price tag was also the knock down figure for lot four when Ian Faulkner, IC & C Faulkner, Kukerin, had the final bid.
A couple of lots later John Davidson, PB & J Davidson, Tincurrin, paid the second highest price in the Merino offering of $8200.
After buying a Poll sire Mr Griffiths also took home a Merino ram at $5400, which was the fourth highest Merino price.
Volume clients in the Merino side of the catalogue included Wes Hall, EDL Farms, Newdegate, who purchased 12 rams including two Polls and Damien Gooding, ML & HI Gooding, who bought nine head which included three Polls.
Rohan Mead, AK & AJ Mead, Ravensthorpe, went home with eight Merinos up to $3300 and Michael Eva, Roseworthy Farm Pty Ltd, Brookton, purchased seven head also up to $3300.
As with the offering of Poll Merinos there were a number of clients who went home with ute loads ranging from two to six head.
Commenting on behalf of the selling agents Preston Clarke said that it would be one of the best catalogues of Merino and Poll Merino rams you would see in Australia.
“The high genetic input of the past few years has had a big impact in both the studs and the family has invested with extreme care and that combined with their ability to identify their mating programs to meet their goals has put the stud where it is today to the benefit of their clients,” Mr Clarke said.