AGENTS from both Landmark and Elders put together a big yarding of ewes at the Katanning saleyards on Friday, totalling 15,422 head.
The majority of the line-up consisted of young Merino ewes, with prices topping at $200 for 1.5yo summer shorn ewes in the Landmark yarding.
Across the combined sale, a total of $2,209,805 was spent by buyers who paid an average of $143 per head.
Spring shorn Merino ewes ranged in age from 1.5-5.5yo, selling from $101-$195, while winter shorn types were between 1.5-3.5yo, selling between $130-$158 and summer shorn types sold between 1.5-5.5yo reaching a top of $200.
The 1.5yo spring shorn ewes represented the largest portion of the yarding at a total of 5771 head, averaging $146, while the next largest yarding was the 2.5yo spring shorn category, totalling 2201 head which fetched an average of $156 per head.
Also achieving an average of $156 was the 3.5yo age bracket, while just two lines of 4.5yo ewes both from genuine dispersals averaged $151.
Older ewes aged at 5.5yo averaged $116 per head, while mixed age lines of Merino ewes between 2.5-5.5yo averaged $135.
There were also some older 5.5yo Dohne ewes available fetching values between $99-$116 and Prime SAMM ewes aged just 15 months made $158.
LANDMARK
Kicking off the sale last week was the Landmark yarding which featured a total of 10,472 head.
Standing out in the first few pens of the line-up were two genuine flock dispersals from the Crosby and Hobley families.
First to go under the hammer were the October shorn, Pooginook blood ewes from KG & BA Crosby, Woodanilling, which totalled 1974 head, divided into age brackets from 1.5yo through to 5.5yo.
The very first pen sold featured 464 head of 1.5yo ewes and sold to Elders Kojonup for $194, which was the sale top price for spring shorn ewes in the 1.5yo age category, while the 399 head of 2.5yo ewes weren’t far behind, also selling to an Elders account for $186.
The next pen of 3.5yo ewes totalling 417 head made $155, selling to R & RK & NR Skinner, Mt Barker, while the 399 4.5yo ewes made $136 when they sold to Bridgetown-based RW & PR Campbell and the oldest line of 295 5.5yo ewes made $125.
Immediately following the Crosby dispersal, was the genuine line of 1449 head offered by TR & B Hobley, Nyabing, which featured October shearing and Wiringa Park bloodlines.
The Hobley sheep were snapped up by Elders and Westcoast Wool & Livestock accounts, but drew plenty of attention from bidders from as far north as Geraldton.
Values paid for the Hobley sheep peaked at $195 for the 313 2.5yo ewes which went to Elders Kojonup, representing the highest price paid per head for spring and winter shorn sheep offered on the day.
The Hobleys offered 357 1.5yo ewes which made $144 paid by a Westcoast Wool & Livestock account, while the 282 3.5yo ewes sold at $168 and the 4.5yo ewes totalling 246 head made $176, written into the books for the same Great Southern-based Elders account and topping the sale for 3.5yo and 4.5yo prices.
Finishing up the dispersal offerings in the Landmark portion of the sale were the 251 5.5yo Hobley ewes which reached a value of $135, paid by another Westcoast Wool & Livestock account.
Moving forward to the remainder of the Landmark yarding, the first cab off the rank was a pen of 351 January shorn, 1.5yo ewes with Eastville bloodlines, offered by Mt Sheridan Farms.
Representing the only line of summer shorn 1.5yo ewes, these topped the sale when Elders Lake Grace agent Graeme Taylor paid $200 for them.
Other lines of 1.5yo ewes to sell at the higher end of the results were all spring shorn drafts including 387 head of October shorn, Keetlen Valley blood ewes from JW Smart & Co which made $168 head, knocked down to Mitchell Braithwaite, Landmark Geraldton.
A genuine line of 111 September shorn, Crichton Vale blood 1.5yo ewes from JD & ME Smith made $157, while 122 October shorn, East Mundalla blood ewes from P & L Keley went for $150.
Also in the younger age bracket of sheep offered was a line of 270, 15-month-old October shorn, Prime SAMM ewes from Glenelg Estate.
These drew competition from two keen judges, resulting in a final bid of $158 from Kojonup-based R & E Guidi.
Looking towards the other end of the age range on offer through Landmark, some 2045 head of 5.5yo lines were available, including a draft of 495 October shorn Dohne ewes from BD & AV Aylmore which fetched a price of $116, paid by Wemyss Estates, Gnowangerup.
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The highest value paid for 5.5yo Merino ewes in the Landmark yarding was the same money at $116, paid by Gilnochie Pty Ltd, Jerramungup, for a pen of 215 October shorn, owner bred ewes from LR Martin.
In the mixed sex pens, values peaked at $182 per head for the 379 head of Mt Sheridan Farms ewes ranging in aged between 2.5-5.5yo.
These were January shorn with Eastville bloodlines.
ELDERS
Continuing the sale with a smaller yarding of 4950 head, the Elders team presented a solid offering consisting of largely Merino ewes.
A genuine flock dispersal from Elders client of 40 years, EP Goodchild, kicked off the team in red’s run, with the even line of Woolkabin and Wiringa Park blood ewes seeing good competition from buyers.
The dispersal totalled 660 head of September shorn ewes, drafted by age.
Prices for these peaked at $162 for the line of 281 2.5yo ewes which were knocked down to TS & SME Collins, Napier.
The youngest draft from the dispersal totalled 218 head of 1.5yo ewes which went to RJ & RH O’Toole, Katanning, while the oldest draft from the dispersal of 161 3.5yo ewes sold for $140 to Landmark Darkan.
In the remainder of the Elders yarding, prices topped at $170 a head for a line of 218 October shorn, Leovale blood 1.5yo ewes from IR & SF King, which went north after they were bought by Landmark Geraldton’s Mitchell Braithwaite.
Winter shorn values for the sale were topped in the Elders yarding when a line of 176 July-shorn East Mundalla and Mianelup blood 1.5yo ewes sold for $158 to Krool Holdings Pty Ltd, Kukerin.
Other lines to sell well in the 1.5yo age category included 337 November shorn, Woolkabin blood ewes offered by BJ Witham which sold for $146 to to Crovie Nominees, Pingelly, while a smaller line of 104 August shorn, East Mundalla and Kolindale blood ewes from TB Doney & Co sold to Norn Creek Pastoral, Narrikup, for $144.
In the 2.5yo age bracket, values were topped by a line of 279 October shorn, owner bred ewes from Wattledale which sold for $156 to Elders Moora, followed by 370 head of October shorn, Strath-Haddon blood ewes from BJ Witham which went for $151 to Credaro Family Trust, Yelverton.
There were four lines of mixed age ewes, which saw a top $157 paid for 202 head of 2.5-4.5yo spring shorn, East Mundalla blood ewes from IS & SJ Lloyd, which also went to Krool Holdings.
A larger line of 340 spring shorn, owner bred ewes ranging in age from 3.5-5.5yo from Wattledale sold for $119 to a Westcoast Wool & Livestock account, while the remaining two lines of mixed age ewes which were spring shorn both achieved a value of $110/head.
Rounding out the sale was a line of 154 Dohne ewes aged 5.5yo offered by CJ South & Co.
Featuring Kintail Park blood and August shearing, these sold for $99 to Wemyss Estates, Gnowangerup.