Wiringa Park sale averages $2382

The Hobley family presented an outstanding sale team of 200 Poll Merino rams with the progress in evenness of quality and type standing out annually and reflecting the family's dedication to their breeding and client base and willingness to significantly reinvest into the stud through leading genetics.

The line-up of extensively measured well grown elite woolled April shorn rams with DNA parentage tested sire confirmation drew plenty of favourable comments from the stud's return clients and several new buyers to the sale along with increased WA stud interest.

Nutrien Livestock auctioneer and the Hobley's livestock agent Mark Warren said the Wiringa Park stud was growing in popularity with the presentation of their Poll Merino rams.

"The Wiringa Park rams showed excellent wool quality and body size with this year's sale team averaging more than 100 kilograms," Mr Warren said.

"Wiringa Park has a lot of repeat buyers with 40 registrations, also attracting new stud and commercial buyers and the return of all their major buyers.

"The stud is moving forward and will only continue to attract new buyers with the quality they present and the injection of genetics the family will continue to invest in over time."

Buyers responded accordingly with the opening run of shed prepared rams and more than half of the paddock run rams selling to extremely buoyant values as buyers showed they were prepared to pay for their selections particularly commercial buyers continually bidding beyond $3000 deep into the catalogue.

The Hobleys remained resolute in offering their full sale team to give their clients a greater selection despite the expected absence of a few buyers from the sale after exiting the sheep industry.

This affected the backend of the sale as buyers could afford to be more selective with their purchases allowing budget minded buyers to fill their pre-mating requirements while a number of rams were overlooked at auction.

At the completion of selling, the Nutrien Livestock selling team had cleared 170 rams (85 per cent) for an impressive average of $2382.

This was $69 up on last year's sale average of $2313 however clearances was down with 188 of 200 rams (94pc) selling under the hammer last year.

The sale's $10,000 top price was recorded from the outset with Mitchell Crosby, Nutrien Livestock Breeding, buying the ram on behalf of the Johnston family's Merna stud, Quairading.

The 109kg ET-bred ram was by Glenlea Park 18-0030 and out of an Anglesey ewe 420 and displayed impressive ASBVs of 194.98 MP+ (top 1pc), 197.92 DP + (top 5pc), 10.6 YWT (top 10pc), 6.94 (top 20pc), 0.44 YEMD, -0.2 YFAT, -0.84 YFD and 41.34 YCFW (top 1pc).

Mr Crosby said with its wool type, size and conformation, the ram would fit well into the Merna breeding program.

"He is ET-bred with a great pedigree behind him," Mr Crosby said.

"Very well balanced ram with good feet, topline and backend and long stapled very white wool."

Mr Crosby added a further two rams to the Merna account for $3800 and $3600.

The opening run of rams returned plenty of highlights but it wasn't until lot 28 when the sale's $9600 second top price was paid by Peter Moore, Nutrien Livestock, Williams, who purchased the ram on behalf of the Haddrick family's Toorackie stud, Williams.

The 111.5kg double polled (PP) ram was AI bred by Glenlea Park 17-0614 and a Wiringa Park ewe with ASBVs ranking in the top 10pc for YFD -2.12 and top 20pc for MP + 167.85 and YCFW 26.87.

The sale's $8200 third top price was paid by Glenrose Farms, Katanning, for one of two rams with their top bid reserved for the 115kg ram in lot six, an ET bred son of Moorundie Poll NE73 and Wiringa Park ewe 15-0492 with ASBVs ranking in the top 10pc for YCFW 30.31 and top 20pc for top 20pc for MP + 166.19 and YWT 8.7.

Wayne Pech, North Stirling Downs, Gnowangerup, paid the next highest price of $7200 for a 113.5kg double polled Wiringa Park 16-434 son ranking in the top 20pc for MP + 165.46 and YWT 8.92.

Sam West, Wagin, outlaid $5600 for an AI bred NE73 son ranking in the top 5pc YCFW 31.85 and top 20pc MP + 166.06 and YFD -1.86 to go into their Balgun Dohnbouillet breeding program.

PS Climie & Co, Cranbrook, was rarely outbid on their flock ram selections finishing the sale with a team of five rams costing from $4200 and $5200 to average $4600 with their top bid paid for a thumping 130.5kg AI bred WP 18-755 son which ranked in the top 10pc for 177.76 MP +, 178.03 DP +, 7.16 PWT and YCFW 31.59 and top 20pc YWT 8.74.

The Climies will join 4500 October shorn Merino ewes in mid-December with 3200 ewes mated to Wiringa Park and Angenup rams and the balance to terminal sires.

Jamie Climie said they had been buying from Wiringa Park for seven years and liked the size and soft loose skins of their sheep.

"The stud is pushing forward with genetics and spending money on improving their flock and we are buying the progeny soon after they have introduced it," Mr Climie said.

"Wiringa Park has improved out of sight in the past four to five years and in turn our sheep are improving, we are breeding bigger sheep that are cutting more wool."

Return local buyers WP Dolan & Co, Nyabing, again wielded the strongest influence on the sale with their account of 13 rams costing all values between $1000 and $3600 for a strong average of $2492.

Other volume accounts included return buyers Monalta Grazing Co, Katanning, with 11 rams at auction costing from $800 to $3400 and one following the sale while fellow Katanning graziers Dyliabing Farms also finished with 12 rams spending from $800 to $2300.

Kurana Farming, Ongerup, spent from $800 to $2400 for their nine rams while other Ongerup buyer Strohawk Farming and Ford Brothers Grazing, Williams, sourced eight rams each paying to tops of $1800 and $1000 respectively.

There were too numerous stronger accounts at the sale to mention them all in this report.

MK & M Peakall, Amelup, operated at the top of the market for their seven rams costing from $2400 to $3800 plus one ram following the sale, ST & KN Garard, Pingaring, spent to $3800 and a healthy average of $3071 for seven rams while a host of buyers acquired six rams.

These included DJ Tapscott & Co, Pingrup, Bellakin Grazing Co, Katanning, RA Mills & Co, Brookton, The Wahroonga Trust, Katanning, Toompup Grazing Co, Ongerup, Redhill Farming Estate, Pingrup and Eticup Grazing Co, Broomehill.