WAGIN played host to a heap of rams, stud breeders and eager buyers recently when the annual Wagin Breeders' Ram Sale was held at the showgrounds resulting in a top price of $3300 and a shed average of $1207 thanks to the sale of 254 sires under the hammer.
It was the typical high standard of quality Merino, Poll Merino, Poll Dorset and White Suffolk rams on offer from local breeders which drew the interest of returning buyers and had the Landmark, Westcoast Wool & Livestock and Elders selling teams working hard all day.
The shed average was down from last year's ripper result of $1333, but vendors and buyers alike were happy with the quality offered and purchased on the day.
In the Merino and Poll Merino portion of the sale, three vendors had their hats in the ring with a combined total of 207 rams on offer.
Of these, 172 sold at auction to a top of $3300 and an average of $1361, down from a combined average last year of $1539.
In the Poll Dorset section of the sale, two studs offered rams, with 49 of 58 selling on the day to a top of $1200 and an average of $767, down by $158 on last year's result.
There was just one White Suffolk stud offering rams this year with 33 of 40 offered by the Kantara stud selling to a top of $1550 and an average of $1058 which was up by $32 on last year.
Landmark Wagin agent and auctioneer Peter Foley said the shed was filled with an outstanding presentation of rams once again.
"It was clear the vendors have worked hard to present their sheep well and it was good to see buyers competing on sheep throughout the shed with confidence," Mr Foley said.
"There was a lot of local support for the sale and a similar number of buyers to last year which helped the sale along nicely.
"The quality across the shed was a credit to the breeders."
Kingussie Merino and Poll Merino
Kicking off the day's selling efforts was the Landmark team and the 102 strong team of Merino and Poll Merinos from Kingussie stud, Dumbleyung.
The Smith family had 67 Merinos and 35 Poll Merinos on display, which loyal clients competed on eagerly to push the Kingussie combined average to $1611 across the 92 rams which were sold under Mr Foley's hammer.
In their Merino presentation, 60 of 67 sold to an average of $1825, down $143 on last year, but including the overall sale top price of $3300 for the stretchy ram in lot six.
The Kingussie Poll Merinos line-up saw 32 of 35 sold to a top of $2100 twice and an average of $1209, down by $138 on the 2018 result.
Top price and volume buyer in the Kingussie catalogue was long time client Ricky Mott, Dumbleyung, who said the Kingussie sheep do well on his country where he runs about 4000 mating ewes.
"I was chasing well put together rams with a bit of size about them and the top priced one had everything I was looking for," Mr Mott said.
The sale top-priced ram tipped the scales at 116kg and had wool test results including 21.8 micron, 15.4 CV, 99.1 CF and 3.4 SD.
It also had carcase figures including 40.5mm EMD and 7.1 fat.
By the end of the sale, Mr Mott had bought a total of 14 Kingussie Merino sires to an average of $2364.
The $2100 equal top-priced Kingussie Poll Merinos were both bought by return buyer MN & AK Ford, Williams, for lots 70 and 73 respectively.
Lot 70 weighed in at 114kg with carcase figures including 44.1mm EMD and 8 fat, as well as wool test results of 21.3 micron, 14.6 CV, 99.7 CF and 3.1 SD, while lot 73 wasn't much different with a bodyweight recorded as 116kg with carcase figures of 40.4mm EMD and 8.4 fat and wool tests of 20.8 micron, 14.8 CV, 99.6 CF and 3.1 SD.
The Fords came away with a combined team of nine Poll Merino and Merino sires averaging $1656 to also earn a major volume buyer title.
Others to buy substantial numbers included JD & ME Smith, Dumbleyung, HW & HA Bairstow, Dumbleyung and J & GT Pearce & Son, Dumbleyung.
Wililoo Merino and Poll Merino
Next up to go under the hammer was the line-up of Wililoo Merino and Poll Merino sires on behalf of the Wise family, Woodanilling, who offered a combined total of 60 rams via the Westcoast Wool & Livestock team.
At the end of the selling effort, 53 sires had been sold under the hammer including a top price paid for a Merino sire at $3000 and an overall average of $1191 which was down $246 on last year.
The 30 Merinos sold to a total clearance and an average of $1267, down from $1661 last year, while 32 of 35 Poll Merinos sold to a top of $2000 and an average of $1091, down from $1293 achieved last year.
Top price buyer in the Wililoo presentation was Bill Bailey, WJ & GF Bailey, Needilup, who paid $3000 for the Merino in the very first pen of the line-up.
Mr Bailey was returning to buy from Wililoo for the sixth year with pleasing results.
"Today I was looking for wool and size," Mr Bailey said.
He certainly got that with his top-priced purchase, which had plenty of presence in the pen, a bodyweight of 108kg and wool test figures to match including 17.4 micron, 16.7 CV and 99.6 CF.
By the end of the sale, Mr Bailey had bought 10 more sires to tally up a team of 11 Merino rams for an average of $1400 to be one of the major volume buyers in the Wililoo presentation.
Top price in the Poll Merino catalogue for Wililoo was $2000 paid by Willingvale Estate, Woodanilling, for a ram with a bodyweight of 105kg and wool test figures including 17.8 micron, 18.0 CV and 99.7 CF.
Willingvale Estate was the overall volume buyer in the Wililoo catalogue with a total of 17 Merino and Poll Merinos for an average of $1165.
Red Hill Grazing, Katanning, was another volume buyer, landing nine sires for an average of $1167 and a top of $1600 twice.
Sunny View Poll Merino
Rounding out the Merino portion of the sale was locally-based Sunny View Poll Merinos with an offering of 45 sires which saw 27 sold under the hammer of the Elders team to a top of $1500 and an average of $844.
The results were slightly back on last year's sale where 35 of 35 were sold to a top of $1600 twice and an average of $1051.
Top price honours went to return buyer and volume buyer in the Sunny View catalogue PJ Spooner, Wagin, who selected the ram in lot 168 and was willing to go to $1500 in order to take it home.
The ram weighed in at 106kg and had wool test figures including 20.5 micron, 3.4 SD, 16.6 CV and 99.9 CF.
It was joined by a further eight rams to go home on the back of the ute to the Spooner property for an average of $925.
Two rams reached the second top price of $1100 in the Sunny View line-up which went to TN & DJ Badger, Pingrup, and GM Ward & Sons, Wagin.
The first, in lot 171 went to Pingrup weighed 113kg with wool test results including 20.9 micron, 4.2 SD, 20.1 CV and 99.5 CF, while the ram in lot 179 stayed local, weighing in at 97kg and wool test results including 20.1 micron, 3.6 SD, 17.9 CV and 99.5 CF.
The other main volume buyer in the Sunny View line-up was DJ & D Jasper who travelled from Cunderdin to land a team of six for an average of $817.
Other buyers to land teams of rams included GM Ward & Sons, Wagin, and Landmark Narrogin.
Yow Yow Poll Dorset
Moving on to the second half of the sale, the Wagin-based Yow Yow Poll Dorsets kicked off the British Breed portion of the day with 49 sires offered to keen buyers.
Under the hammer 40 were sold to a top of $1200 and an average of $770, which was down on the 2018 sale result by $218.
Top price in the Yow Yow line-up went to the long Poll Dorset in lot 224, which sold to JZ Baldwin, Jerramungup, for $1200, who also bought one more at $1000 to make a neat, meaty duo on the back of the ute.
Second top price was $1100 paid by Chris Quartermaine, Katanning, for the ram in lot 230 with EBVs including 11 PWWT, -0.7 PWFT, 1.2 PWEMD and an index of 182.
Mr Quartermaine also bought four other Yow Yow rams to average $840 across his team of five.
He said he thought his top selection was one of the better rams in the shed as he was looking for a bit more fat in his choices.
The volume buyer in the Yow Yow catalogue was Westcoast Wool & Livestock, tallying up a team of 15 at $700 apiece.
Another buyer to land a few was Knowsley Grazing Co, Katanning, which finished the sale with seven Yow Yow rams at an average of $857 and a top of $1000 twice.
Kantara White Suffolk
Kantara stud, Dumbleyung, once again flew the flag solo for the White Suffolk breed at the Wagin Breeders' ram sale with a team of 40 rams offered at auction.
Of these 33 sold under the hammer to a top of $1550 and an average of $1058 which was an improvement on last year's result by $32.
It was a return buyer, Roztine Enterprises, Gnowangerup, who came away with the top priced ram and a team of Kantara White Suffolks.
The ram in lot 273 caught the attention of Brad Smith, Gnowangerup, who went to $1550 to purchase the ram.
"I like Keith's rams, that's why we keep coming back," Mr Smith said.
"We'll use these rams over our Merino ewes and sell the first cross lambs.
"The results we've had in the past with Kantara rams have been great so that's why we're back to buy again."
The top Kantara ram had figures including 16.3 PWWT, -0.1 PFAT, 2.1 PEMD and a CarcasePlus figure of 206.43, backed up by a bodyweight of 103kg.
Roztine Enterprises bought a team of five by the end of the day, averaging $1050.
Other volume buyers in the Kantara line-up included JN & C Stone and Dunara Farms, Wagin, who bought six and five respectively for averages of $858 and $980.
Dumbledee Poll Dorset
Finishing up the day of selling at Wagin was a reduced presentation of Poll Dorsets from Dumbledee stud, Dumbleyung, with a total line-up of nine rams for buyers to choose from.
These sold to a total clearance, a top of $900 twice and an average of $758, down from $785 last year.
Both top-priced rams were bought by Chinocup Holdings, the first boasting figures including 18.8 PWWT, -1.1 PFAT, 0.8 PEMD and CarcasePlus 208.58, while the second had figures including 16.8 PWWT, -0.4 PFAT, 1.3 PEMD and CarcasePlus 201.82.
The volume buyer was AM Wright & Son, Mt Barker, who bought three at $700 apiece, while GM &TL McLennan also bought two at $700 apiece.
