THE 26th Williams Breeders ram sale was a tale of mixed fortunes as 215 Merinos and Poll Merinos and 80 meat breeds flock improver sires went under the auctioneer's call of Nutrien Livestock and Elders recently.
While Merinos topped the day at $5000, meat breeds proved the shining light, selling last but finishing first on game day performance with a considerably higher top price and average and better clearance than in 2019, despite an increased offering.
Feeding off the demand for meat and a softening of the wool market, 79 from 80 White Suffolk, South Suffolk and Suffolk sires from two breeders found new homes at a $4000 top price, up $2400 on last year, a $1096 average, up $229 and 99 per cent clearance compared to 76pc last year when 55 rams sold under the hammer from the 72 offered.
By contrast local Merino breeders had a much tougher day at the office with a 74pc clearance in what was a buyer's market.
Of the 215 rams offered from four studs, 160 sold at auction for a $5000 top price, back $1100 on 2019 and average of $1388, back $137, but tougher in real terms considering last year 224 rams were sold from 259 offered, an 86pc clearance.
Given the quality of the rams on offer, the hefty line-up of utes parked around the sportsground beforehand and a registration list boasting 60 trading names, the pre-sale mood suggested a stronger result.
But it was not to be and left some stud breeders and others discussing what was essentially a missed opportunity by commercial producers to buy a few extra rams at competitive prices and breed for what is expected to be future hot demand for Merino ewes, as both Merino and prime lamb dams.
Selling first, the Hogg family's Navanvale stud, Williams, again achieved the sale top price with a Poll Merino ram, this year at $5000, bid by last year's top price bridesmaid Capemont Farms, Katanning.
Sheldon Kowald was told by his 10 year old son Nate the rams looked pretty good and he clearly agreed, also bidding to $4800 to set the second top price for the day, on his way to accumulating a ute load of six Poll Merinos at a $2267 average.
The 116kg sweet-woolled sale topper in lot 4 tested 20.1 micron, 3.2 SD, 99.8 per cent Comfort Factor (CF), 6.2kg GFW, 32mm EMD and 4.8mm fat, while his half-brother in lot 10, a giant of a ram big enough to saddle up for a start at Ascot racecourse, stood by figures of 22.5 micron, 3.6 SD, 98.6pc CF, 7kg GFW, 33.5mm EMD, 7mm fat and weighed 133kg, the heaviest ram in the team.
Both rams were sired by Westray 207, bought for $15,000 by the Hoggs at the Bendigo ram sale in 2018 and a sire really proving its worth at Navanvale.
Stud co-principal Mitchell Hogg has been classing the Kowald's ewe hoggets for about four years, having taken over part of the late Graham Holton's classing run on his retirement.
Capemont's purchases at Williams reflected its breeding direction with emphasis on scale, body length and deep crimped quality wools.
The third top Merino price of $4600 was also achieved in the Navanvale offering when KG & MB Kingston made the journey from Goomalling to secure a 122kg, 19.2 micron Frank family sire with measurements of 3.3 SD, 99.9pc CF, 6.8 GFW, 28.1mm EMD and highest fat score of 8mm.
Others to make a significant mark in the Navanvale section of the catalogue were Glenorchy Grazing Co, Williams, which finished with eight Merinos and five Poll Merinos to a top of $2500 and overall average of $1500, WG & EM Petchell, Williams, eight rams to a top $2200 and $1164 average and FJ Carter & Co, Woodanilling, five Polls and a Merino to a $2200 top and $1517 average.
Based on their own high standards, clearance levels were a disappointment with a number of quality Navanvale rams still looking for homes by day's end.
The stud cleared 27 of 39 Poll Merinos at auction for a $1696 average, down $616 to last year when 26 from 35 rams offered sold to a $2312 average and while the Merino average was up $137 for 24 rams sold from 41 offered, this was considerably less than in 2019 when 45 from 54 Merinos sold to average $1551.
The Haddrick family, Williams, followed up with 60 of their Toorackie Poll Merinos and sold 52 at an average of $1265, back $189 on last year when they offered 70, sold 67 and averaged $1454.
Their top price was a repeat performance for both price and buyer with Dan Zadow, WR & PC Zadow, Kojonup, stepping up to the plate again at $4400.
Mr Zadow moved to Toorackie when his local Hyfield stud dispersed a few years ago, saying it offered similar genetics, climate and environment and he enjoyed working with the Haddricks.
At Williams last week he was chasing mandatory good wools but also body size, believing the bigger, earlier maturers produce more lambs.
Despite the easing in wool prices Mr Zadow said they would be sticking with Merinos, content to stabilise their numbers and focus on doing things better.
"I see a future in wool, plus much of our country is not suitable to cropping so we work on a 50-50 cropping to sheep ratio," Mr Zadow said.
"We mate 8500 Merino ewes annually, 5000 to Merinos and 3500 to White Suffolks and Poll Dorsets.
"I actually only came to get two rams today, but took the opportunity and got five (at a $2320 average price)."
Mr Zadow's team topper, destined for his 200 head ram breeding nucleus flock, was from a Hyfield blood, orange tag family and tested 20.7 micron, 3.9 SD and 98.9pc CF.
Toorackie's second top price of $3900 was also from its orange family, going the way of Matlock Farms, Boddington, which finished with four rams at a $2025 average.
Major volume buyers, all Williams locals, were GH & JD Medlen, which amassed a team of 10 at a $1200 average, M Carne & Co, successful on nine rams at an $1144 average, while KN & LA Medlen and SJ & BJ Schulz each finished with eight rams.
The Higham family's, Culbin Park, Williams, was the only Merino stud (along with Navanvale Merinos) to record an improved average with 32 of its 35 Poll Merinos selling under the hammer to a top of $2800 and $1363 average, up $63 on last year when it achieved a total clearance of 40 rams at a $1300 average.
Several repeat buyers found their way onto the clerking sheets, while the stud's $2800 ram was another off to Kojonup to the paddocks of GE & FK Gale.
From Culbin Park's black family the 98.5kg ram, the Gale's sole purchase, tested 21.2 micron, 3.4 SD, 99.7pc CF and 6.2kg GFW.
Others making their mark on the Culbin Park offering were long time regulars CA & NS Hall & Co, Williams, buyer of eight rams at a $1338 average, RF & O Liddelow, Williams, which claimed six rams at a $1117 average and RM Hawksley & Co, Cuballing, which finished with five rams at a $1000 average.
The Rintoul families, Auburn Valley stud, Williams, provided plenty of selection choices in offering Merino and Poll Merino rams and by sale end had cleared 11 of 18 Poll Merinos at a $1009 average and 14 of 22 Merinos for a $1093 average.
A thought was spared for family patriarch Peter Rintoul in Perth having surgery at about the same time and long-time loyal clients paid tribute in the best way they could by bidding up.
Bob Treasure, RE & OM Treasure, Wandering, selected seven Polls and one Merino at a $1075 average, CS Cowcher, outlaid a $1084 average for six Merinos and RA & A Maiolo, Narrogin, bought seven at a $914 average.
But the standout, based on price, was the Merino penned third in the line-up which topped at $2500 and went the way of regular top price buyers from Auburn Valley, the Smith family, Wongamine Grazing, Northam.
By a Darijon sire, the 98kg ram had figures of 20.3 micron, 3.1 SD, 15.3 CV and 99.8pc CF.
White Suffolks from Grant and Debbie Bingham's Iveston stud, Williams, were next to go under the hammer and things really hotted up particularly on the first three rams, all well-grown stud sire prospects.
The three would normally have been destined for the annual Perth Royal Show stud meat breeds ram sale, but with no show thanks to COVID-19, they remained in home territory.
Via Elders' Tim Spicer on the phone, Denham Carter, Ridgetop stud, Narrikup, was the first to strike at $3500 to secure the first ram offered.
But that price was quickly eclipsed by Tom Bowen who joined the phone brigade to secure the second ram at $4000 for the Ledwith family, Kolindale stud, Wickepin.
Losing bidder on that ram Daniel Griffiths, Arcane stud, Donnybrook, regrouped to buy the third ram, by a Yonga sire, for $2500.
Iveston stud co-principal Grant Bingham said the first two rams were sons of prolific sire Warburn 400, bought for $7500 at on-property auction in 2017.
The first, a particularly long bodied ram with a super sirey head weighed a whopping 155kg with recorded data to match of 0.55 BWT, 11.9 WWT, 17.7 PWWT, -0.8 Pfat, 1.4 PEMD, 131.1 LEQ, 142.6 TCP and 141.7 SRC, while his thickset $4000 half-brother weighed 140kg and 0.42 BWT, 9.5 WWT, 14.8 PWWT, -0.3 Pfat, 1.9 PEMD, 130.8 LEQ, 139.6 TCP and 137.3 SRC.
The three stud sires were followed by 57 Iveston flock rams which also met strong demand with all but one selling for a $936 average, up $56 on last year when 49 rams sold from 62 offered to average $880.
Volume buyers included Congeling Park Grazing Co, Williams, successful on eight at a $1063 average, TC & JC Biddulph, Ravensthorpe, six at a $1067 average and LJ & KD Little, Boddington, six to a $767 average.
After taking a break last year, Iveston had its South Suffolks back in the pens, offering one stud sire and nine flock rams which averaged $1340 combined for a total clearance.
The stud sire sold for $2100 and was headed for a journey to Watheroo accompanied by one stablemate, both bought by Wong Wong Pastoral Co.
Another northerner, Coomberdale based IJ & JV Tonkin, finished with three South Suffolks.
But the 132kg category topper, knocked down at $2200, was staying much closer to home, bought by EK & L Kennedy, Williams.
Rounding out the prime lamb sire breeds was a team of 10 Suffolks presented by Kira Batterbee, Kirrie stud, Boddington, which attracted a total clearance, $1400 top price and much improved average of $1080, up $313 on 2019 when its 10 rams sold to average $767.
Strongest supporter was KM & LD Johnston, Williams, which bought five at a $1040 average and G Bruce & NK Hogg & Sons, two to the $1400 top.
