Prices reach $3700 at Mianelup sale

Despite the water shortages and reduced demand, impacts of which have already been felt at many Great Southern sales this year, the Richardson family and the Mianelup team had plenty to be proud of with positive comments from happy customers of previous years saying they were returning to buy quality genetics again.

In expectation of reduced demand, the offering dipped from 182 last year to 149 this year, of which 124 were sold under the hammer.

Once again, Poll Merinos represented the majority of the catalogue with 92 of 116 selling to an average of $1462, while 32 of 33 Merinos sold to a top of $1700 and average of $1000.

Combined, the sale achieved a gross of $166,500 and an average of $1343, down by $113 on the 2019 sale average.

This year's sale top price of $3700 paid for the stand out ram in pen three was an improvement on the 2019 sale top of $3600.

While last year's top-priced ram went north to a new home at Merredin, this year the top-priced offering stayed a little closer to home, catching the eye of Peter Morrell, Tatchbrook Farms, Arthur River, who was a first-time buyer at the Mianelup sale last year and was among the many sale attendees with warm compliments for the quality of breeding at Mianelup.

"I bought from Mianelup for the first time last year and the lambs on the ground look great," Mr Morrell said.

"We've achieved 119 per cent which is a great result and a good reason as any to come back again to buy a ram for our nucleus flock."

Mr Morrell first saw his choice ram at Katanning and recognised quality when he saw it.

"I wasn't looking for anything specific, just a good, well-bred ram," he said.

The top-priced ram weighed in at 120kg and its wool tested at 20.6 micron.

There was also stud interest at the top end of the sale, with Pallinup stud's Lachlan Lewis, Gnowangerup, securing the beautiful Poll in lot two at $2200.

Also tipping the scales at 120kg and with wool test results of 20.5 micron, Mr Lewis said the wool on his pick for the day was what got him over the line.

"I thought he was really well-covered, with great, gutsy wool with length to go with it," Mr Lewis said.

He wasn't the only person in the crowd who agreed on the quality of the wools available at this year's sale with Paul Berger, Greengables Pastoral, South Nyabing, securing four Mianelup sires for prices at $2000 and above on account of their beautiful wool type.

Mr Berger said he had been a Mianelup client for 45 years and knew quality was always on offer at Mianelup.

"We mate about 3000 ewes but we have had to cut back recently due to dry conditions over the past couple of seasons," Mr Berger said.

"Today I was looking for structure and wool type, the Mianelup rams have done well for us over the years and I was happy with the rams I was able to purchase today."

Mr Berger paid the second top price of the day twice when he purchased the Poll Merinos in lots 18 and 19 for $3100 each.

Lot 18 weighed in at 112kg with a wool test result of 18.6 micron, while lot 19 tipped the scales at 105kg and had a micron of 19.3.

Tambellup-based buyer Paul Cunningham was the volume buyer on the day and also paid the top price in the Merino section of the catalogue at $1700.

The top-priced Merino weighed 95kg and had a micron of 19.9.

Mr Cunningham said he was seeing the proof of good genetics in his improved wool cuts in the five years since he first bought from Mianelup.

"I liked the size, style and heavy-cutting ability of these sheep," Mr Cunningham said.

"The wool is free flowing and fast growing and as I said, we're seeing the results."

By the end of the sale, Mr Cunningham had 20 Mianelup sires lined up to head to a new life at Tambellup, including 16 Poll Merinos for which he paid an average of $1881 and four Merinos at an average of $1375.

Mr Cunningham's top-priced ram was the equal third top price of the sale at $2800, paid for the stretchy Poll in lot 16 with a wool test at 19 micron and a bodyweight of 114kg.

Boyup Brook-based buyer R & HM Turner also paid $2800 for its Poll Merino pick in lot five with a micron of 20.5 and bodyweight of 122kg.

Elders stud stock representative Russell McKay held the volume bidding card in the Merino portion of the sale, tallying up a team of 11 well-bred horned Merinos at an average of $818 on behalf of long-time Mianelup client Jack Hewett, RJ Hewett, Pingrup.

Mr McKay said the Hewett operation ran a very good flock of productive Merino ewes which regularly achieved top prices in ewe sales each year.

"Today we were just chasing quality rams with nice, open horn sets and medium white wools - nothing too complicated," Mr McKay said.

Yvette and Graeme Borthwick, Narrogin, returned to add another year of support to their 60 plus years of connection with the Mianelup stud, tallying up a team of 11 Poll Merinos to be one of the major volume buyers on the day.

They paid an average of $936, topping at $1200 twice, with Yvette Borthwick saying they were happy with the choices they had made.

"Ken Littlejohn was our classer for many years and as he passed away last year - this is the first time we've had to pick our rams without him so I hope he'll be proud of our choices - it was a bit daunting," Ms Borthwick said.

"We looked for Polls with good frames and nice staples but we know the Mianelup sheep, I'm confident they'll do well."

Other volume buyers on the day included Gensar Pty Ltd, Tambellup, which bought six Poll Merinos and six Merinos to a top of $1500 and a combined average of $1058, Richwood Farms, Redcliffs, Victoria, which secured 10 Polls at an average of $1170 including a top of $1600, while CH & ER Gibbs and Sons, Kojonup, landed a team of two Polls and six Merinos for an average of $1100 and including a top of $1600.

Jebarjup Pastoral Co, Cranbrook, bought nine at $800 apiece, while Lefroy River Holdings, Nyabing, JR & RJ Baxter, Katanning, John Scott & Son, Wagin and WEV & JE Waldron, Cranbrook, each paid good money for their teams of five paying averages of $1320, $1980, $1780 and $1000 respectively.

Elders auctioneer Nathan King said given the unique season, the quality of the sheep available was not reflected in the clearance results.

"We had a reduced clearance but that was no fault of the sheep, just the circumstances we find ourselves in this year," Mr King said.

"Many producers are experiencing water issues and in some areas, some studs will be understandably susceptible to the implications this year.

"General comments at the sale this year were really positive in terms of the quality of the sheep, one of my classing clients had plenty of quality rams to choose from as he bid throughout the sale and that's what you want at a stud sale."

Mianelup stud principal Elliot Richardson wasn't surprised by the reduced clearance on the back of widely reported seasonal conditions issues and was keen to thank the supporters of the sale.

"We were really happy with the sheep we had on offer this year and were really grateful for the continued support we received from our loyal clients," Mr Richardson said.

"There were also a couple of new faces and that was great to see, hopefully into the future we can bring the numbers we offer back up as conditions improve."