LANDMARK set the level for unmated females at its first Boyanup unjoined special sale this year, and boy did it set the bar high.
The total clearance of 429 females, top price of $2025, gross of $593,100 and average of $1382 will be a hard task to beat.
A good number of the heifers were not a lot larger than good poddie size.
Even the most optimistic before the sale were expecting a lot lower return than the end result, leaving all with a fresh outlook and enthusiasm for the year ahead.
Only a small number of prospective buyers attended, but those that did were strong bidders ensuring the great result.
A good mixture of agents, restockers and breeders competed.
The first pen sold saw the start of the competition consisting of eight Angus cross from M Hamilton, Rosa Brook, the pend was knocked down to Errol Gardiner, Landmark Brunswick, who paid $1900.
Palmdale Pty Ltd then took the next eight for $1900 before Mr Gardiner bid to $1900 for the next eight, soft breeders.
Showing the evenness of these, the entire draft averaged $1865.
Palmdale then bid to $1975 and $1950 for two pens of 10 each from H & JB Blackburn, Cookernup.
Mr Gardiner then paid $1850 for another 10 of the classy heifers from M Hamilton with the next 10 bought by G & JM Perrella, Northcliffe, at $1875.
Elders Capel representative Rob Gibbings also added competition, paying $1875 for five sold by V & G Ieraci & Sons, Brunswick, before adding six sold by SJ & RM Piggott, for $1900.
Palmdale added another 10 of the H & JB Blackburn heifers, when pushed to $1925 by the sustained competition.
Illustrating the depth of quality was the top of $2025 was not paid until the 17th pen, when Mr Gardiner saw off the opposition on the nine beauties from C & L Italiano & Sons.
SH Fry & Sons had a good sale also, selling 10 to AM & BJ Eatts, Northcliffe, for $1725 who then added 10 Blackburn heifers at $1650.
Trucked from Manjimup, the heifers sold by MJ & RL Drake, saw the first seven sell to Mr Gardiner for $1750, who also paid $1500 for the next line of eight.
Buyers took a long term view with the younger and smaller heifers still attracting strong support.
KM McDonald snapped up the two pens of these from
F Slee & Son, paying $1300 and $1200.
Another five sold by TD & JD Norton cost $1450 before another six of the V & G Ieraci heifers also went on the truck at $1100.
Vern Pitter, Waroona, was pleased when his six young heifers sold to Mr McDonald at $1250, pleasingly above expectation.
Andrew Blackburn was quick to turn over his profits, buying several lines of the younger heifers to grow out, paying to $900 for the youngsters from
C & L Italiano.
BW & RB Ridley also paid $900 for 10 of the VR & EJ Pitter heifers.
The quality of the Murray Grey cross heifers was equally outstanding as the best of the Angus cross, although not quite making the same money.
The top of $1500 was paid by Kelly-Brae, Gelorup, for six from R & L Reinforcing, Jindong, joining the first eight bought by Kelly-Brae for $1400.
The last pen of eight went to JD & IL Wilmot for $1425.
Home-bred youngsters from A & E Pratico, Greenbushes, topped at $1200 when bought by Jamie Abbs, Landmark Boyup Brook.
The best of the second-cross Angus from JJ & EA Gale went to KT Smith & Co for $1125.
The pure beef heifers were all from the Quindanning area with the first nine sold by Yackaboon Grazing going to PJ O’Rourke at $1275.
Richard Farris, Farris Family Trust, then took the next three pens of 10 each for $1250, $1250 and $1225.
Treeton Lake secured a pen for $1200.
Yackaboon Contracting then sold two pens of 10 heifers for $1175 each to Richard Pollock, Landmark Waroona.
Mr Pollock then bid to $1100 for 10 Murray Grey heifers from Murdoch University before going to $1175 for nine from Yackaboon Grazing.
Yackaboon Contracting then sold nine at $1100 and eight for $1125, both lots bought by Mr Pollock.