IT was praised as “one of the best-presented clearing sales I’ve seen” by Landmark auctioneer Terry Norrish.
And the crowd of about 300 attending last Friday’s Golden Square Farms sale at Boodorockin, Westonia, agreed.
Of that total, 254 registered their interest to bid on 323 quality lots which grossed $850,000, with most values meeting the market.
It was apparent from the start of the sale that the Smith family had gone to great lengths to ensure a quality sale with a Scud seed inoculator (lot one) attracting a top bid of $900.
Top price of $150,000 was paid by DR & SE Earnshaw, Bowelling, near Collie, for a New Holland T8.275 front wheel-assist tractor (2570 hours) with Trimble FM750 auto steer.
It was an excellent buy and set the tone for the ‘big gear’ in meeting the market, though the second top price of $94,000 was considered the day’s bargain.
The Mack V Liner 370 truck (169,216 kilometres), with tipping grain bin and roll tarp, complete with a Howard Porter pig tipping-trailer, grain bin and roll tarp, attracted a lot of interest before the sale with farmers testing the hydraulics and engine.
Judging by the activity it drew, there was an expectation of a spirited bidding contest but from a starting bid of $55,000, Mr Norrish could only field bids to the top of $94,000, paid by RS & JE Cooper & Sons, Bencubbin.
The third top price of $58,000 was paid for a Ford 9680 Versatile 4WD tractor (6350hrs) on duals which again was fair market value, while a Ford Versatile 9880 4WD model (7993hrs) on triples also drew a good price of $50,500.
Wheeled loaders always attract plenty of attention and a WCM FL936F-11 model (493hrs), complete with a 93kW (125hp) Deutz engine, air-conditioning, reverse camera, quick hitch assembly, bucket, pallet and hay forks, ‘walked’ out of the paddock for $53,000, again about market value.
With boomsprayers poised for action on the first rains for the year (in most parts of the Wheatbelt), a Goldacres Advance FF6500 trailed boomsprayer went to a happy buyer for a solid $47,500.
It was equipped with a 36 metre boom and a 6500 litre tank.
Two Case-IH 2388 headers, (4304 and 3939 rotor hrs respectively), found a reluctant bidding ring with the first passed-in and the second selling for $35,000.
Two six-wheeler International 3070 trucks were offered, each sporting a Cummins 903 motor and tipping tray.
They sold for $20,000 and $11,500 respectively.
An as-new Commander AgQuip (15.45m x 22.5cm) drew spirited bidding to sell for $17,000 while a smaller 12.2m model was snapped up by a phone bid for $7000.
A Cole HD800SP went for $12,500.
A blast from the past from the same company was a Cole 5-in-1 bin which was secured for $4750.
On the sheep side, a TPW Aussie Xpress wool press sold for $15,000; a set of Commander AgQuip portable 48 panel sheep yards topped out at $12,000 and a similar Cyclone set drew $6000; four Universal sheep feeders made between $1800 and $2000; a McNaught wool press attracted $1500; a portable sheep race went for $3000; a Moylan sheltered round sheep feeder gained $2750; while a 85 bag self feeder from the same company attracted the same price and four Sunbeam shearing heads went for between $350 and $450.
Two Sunbeam electric wool presses were taken for $600.
A Norrish Kleen Mor seed cleaner was offered separately selling for $8000, with accompanying wheat, barley and lupin screens selling for $4250.
A selection of Brereton field bins saw three 28 tonne-capacity models sell for $5000 each, a 37t unit sold for $7000 and a 45t bin made $10,500.
Two seeding rigs were offered as four separate lots – two 13.4m Flexi-Coil 820 spring tine bars with Phillbourne harrows sold for $11,000 and $11,500 respectively while two Flexi-Coil 1720 air carts were taken away for $15,000 and $8500 respectively.
Collectors and restorers were drawn to several lots, including a 1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster utility which eventually went to Max Cust and Co, Piawanning, for $2700.
An old Bedford ute, which was obviously eyed for a restoration job, was sold to Russell Stratton, Nunile, for $350.
Two old Chamberlain front-end loaders also drew attention selling for $5000 and $2500 respectively.
And items to grace the driveway included two horse-drawn scarifiers ($20 each) and a one-way plough ($50) for the lot.
A 1994 Toyota 70 Series Landcruiser was picked up for $7000 but a Nissan Navara STR crew cab ute (122,116km) was passed-in at $8500.
Other lots included an Ozark ATV which went for $2750.
