AWN Livestock recorded a successful debut at its first ever standalone special sheep sale at Wickepin recently where mature ewe values reached $210.
The company yarded 5381 well-bred and grown sheep and lambs which were made up of predominantly spring shorn mature ewes featuring a complete flock dispersal from the eastern Wheatbelt and a flock reduction from a well-known local producer, along with stronger numbers of spring shorn wether lambs.
A big crowd turned out for AWN's first sale with strong agent representation from several companies looking to source sheep for grazier buyers throughout WA's agricultural regions.
In the end, all sheep remained in WA which turned the tide of a lot of earlier sheep sales in the spring which saw Eastern States' orders dominating the market.
At the completion of selling, AWN Livestock auctioneer and State livestock manager Don Morgan had achieved a 100 per cent clearance at an average of $139 across all ages and descriptions.
Maiden Merino ewes sold to $191 with prices ranging from $110 for second drafts while 2.5-3.5yo Merino ewes topped the sale at $210.
Older Merino ewe prices reached $204 for 4.5-5.5-year-old drafts, while mature ewes carrying a Prime SAMM influence sold to $168 for a line of 3.5yo ewes.
In the lamb section of the sale, spring shorn ewe lambs topped at $121, while spring shorn wether lambs sold to $130.
Taking the $210 top-priced honours was a genuine line of 2.5-3.5yo November shorn ewes that made up part of the flock reduction of KR Pauley, Fern Park stud, Cuballing.
The 301 Fern Park blood ewes were purchased by Mark Fairclough, Westcoast Livestock York, for a Quairading client.
The flock reduction's line of 188 4.5-5.5yo ewes with the same description in the following pens sold for the next highest price of $204 to Dunarra Farms, Wagin.
C Payne & Co, Hyden, dispersed its Merino and Merino-Prime SAMM ewe flock with the dispersal's $191 top-price going to the sale's opening line of 568 October-November shorn Kolindale blood 1.5-year-old Merino ewes, purchased by Albany-based AWN Wool representative Steve Squire for a Kojonup buyer.
The dispersal ewes with a Prime SAMM influence in their breeding sold to $168 for 402 October-November shorn 3.5yo ewes which were purchased by AWN Livestock Central Midlands agent Greg Wootton with the ewes going to a new home at Walkaway.
Steele Hathway, Elders Corrigin, buying for a Ravensthorpe account paid $142 for the older 5.5yo Prime SAMM infused sisters of the same description with 358 ewes in the line.
Earlier in the sale AWN Livestock Wheatbelt representative Jay MacDonald buying for a Badgingarra grazier bid $160 for a big line of 560 October/November shorn Kolindale blood 2.5yo Merino ewes from the Payne dispersal.
A smaller draft of 90 November shorn Calcaling blood 5.5yo ewes from the Popanyinning paddocks of SR Turton sold for $138 to RMJ & EM Parker, Pingelly.
Topping the wether lamb market was a line of 233 November shorn Fern Park blood lambs from the Pauley consignment which were knocked down to fellow Cuballing producer Hotham Flats Farming.
Ken Gray & Co, High Valley Merino stud, Tarin Rock, received the next highest price of $126 for 305 August shorn High Valley blood wether lambs which were purchased by Karma Downs, Narrogin.
Nutrien Livestock, Brookton/Pingelly agent Chris Turton, representing a Brookton client, secured two lines of wether lambs at the sale paying $108 for 270 October shorn Rovern blood lambs offered by KR Giles & Co, Kulin and $102 for 148 November shorn Calcaling blood lambs from the Turton's paddocks.
The Payne dispersal's top draft of 558 October/ November shorn Kolindale blood ewe lambs sold for $121 to Elders State commercial sheep manager Mike Curnick that are heading to a new home at Mingenew, while their top draft of 473 wether lambs of the same description sold for $104 to Chris Medcalf.
