THE Boyanup sheep shed was bursting with buyers and onlookers at the annual Elders South West Invitational sale last week.
This year's catalogue looked slightly different with the absence of three studs and a smaller yarding compared to the 2019 sale.
Five different breeds and five studs came together to offer 37 rams and 14 ewes, which resulted in 42 head selling under the hammer for sale gross of $29,910 and an average of $712.
Broken down, 31 rams sold averaging $847 and 11 ewes sold averaging $333.
Elders auctioneer Deane Allen said it was a very successful sale and there was a lot more interest and buyers than previous years.
"The vendors presented their rams very well and it was appreciated by the buyers," Mr Allen said.
"The vendors should be very happy with the values they received."
Elders agents were also on the phone throughout the sale, taking in extra bids and competition.
White Suffolk
Kicking off the sale was the Thompson family, Venturon White Suffolk stud, Boyup Brook with their offering of eight rams.
The stud managed to clear all eight rams for an average of $806.
CJ Walker & Co, Manjimup, paid the stud's top price of $850 and later secured another ram for $800.
South Australian buyers L & M Llewellyn were strong supporters of the stud, purchasing six rams at $800 each.
Suffolks
Next to sell was regular vendor of the sale TJ Gray, Tarlinga stud, Kirup.
Tarlinga matched last year's offering of eight rams and sold all under the hammer for an average of $938.
The stud achieved the highest price of the sale when Peter Daniel, PM & J Daniel, Jerramungup, paid $1150 twice for rams.
The lot nine top-price ram had figures of 111 LW, 7.1mm fat and 41.5mm eye muscle depth.
Second to make the top-price of $1150 was the lot 11 ram which had figures of 104 LW, 6.9mm fat and 45mm eye muscle depth.
Mr Daniel said he liked the rams because they had a good length of body and muscle.
The rams will be added to his Suffolk stud which currently includes 100 sires.
The Daniels picked one more ram for a total of three, averaging $1117.
The stud's top price improved $250 compared to its $900 top at last year's sale.
KE Petchell & Co, Busselton, secured two rams at a high of $1050 and an average of $925.
N & M Investments, Margaret River, bought one at $800, while Elders stud stock agent Michael O'Neill was on the phone bidding for Shamrock Grazing Co and secured one ram at $800.
Tarlinga stud principal Tarryn Gray said she was extremely happy with how the sale went.
"I am over the moon with the results," Ms Gray said.
"There was a couple of bidders competing for each of the rams and that's all it takes to have a good sale."
Quickly following on from the Tarlinga stud was S & N Creagh, Natawandi Suffolk stud, Nillup, with their offering of 12 Suffolk rams and sold eight to average $663.
N & M Investments paid the stud's top of $900 for one ram.
Elders Margaret River agent Alec Williams was busy bidding on behalf of three different buyers.
Mr Williams made winning bids on three rams averaging $633 for GE Payne, secured two rams for Taunton Farm at an average of $650 and also bought two rams for DV Brockman & Co at $600 each.
Wiltipoll
Brian and Neroli Smith, B & N Smith, Neribri stud, Boyanup, returned to the sale offering and selling five Wiltipoll rams at an average of $1030.
Ms Smith said she was very pleased with the sale result and felt the overall tone of the sale was better than in previous years.
She also said that while the lot 29 ram was the champion Wiltipoll ram at the Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association (ASSBA) sheep show, the lot 32 ram had the best figures closest to the stud's breeding objective.
RJ & SG Lord purchased two rams at the sale's second top-price of $1100 each.
Figures for the better ram of the two (lot 32) August born were 92kg bodyweight, 41mm EMD and 5mm fat.
From Elders Manjimup Cam Harris bid on behalf of Edwards Farm Pty Ltd paying $1050 for one ram and picked up two rams at $950 each for HW & LN Hercock, Quinninup.
Dorper
First-time vendors at the sale, the Gardner family and their Ida Vale stud, Kojonup offered two Dorper rams but couldn't sell them under the hammer.
The Gardners also offered seven Dorper ewes, with a pen of four selling for $300 per head and was paid by James Hughes, Cookernup.
Ida Vale improved its Dorper ram clearance numbers with one ram selling after the sale for $700 to Mr Hughes.
White Dorper
Ida Vale also put up two White Dorper rams and managed to sell both.
The first to sell went to the Searle Family Trust, Davenport, for $1050 and the other to BCK Trust, Donnybrook, for $800.
The stud also presented seven White Dorper ewes which were separated into two lots consisting of one pen of four ewes and one pen of three ewes.
EJ Penny, Yarloop, purchased both lots with the team of four making $360 per head and the pen of three sold for $340 per head.
"It was Ida Vale's first time selling in this sale and they did very well," Mr Allen said.
