BREEDING ewe values reached $286 amid strong results at the Elders Corrigin and Wickepin special ewe sale last week.
Coined the Top of the Drop sale, the circuit fixture has forged a reputation over the years for presenting quality drafts of replacement ewes and this year was no exception.
Some of the State's best available drafts of young and mature ewes were yarded featuring genuine lines of ewes through to flock dispersals.
The combined yarding of 13,210 ewes was dominated by late winter and spring shorn drafts ranging from 1.5-year-old to 5.5yo with a few lines of autumn and summer shorn ewes penned, with all ewes presented in an excellent condition thanks to the favourable growing season.
While the State's breeding ewe market experienced a softening trend approaching the sale, the prospect of good summer feed and water supplies, buoyant sheep and lamb markets and recent positive signals from the wool industry, saw buyers throughout all parts of the State and interstate on AuctionsPlus, backed by strong support from the Elders network, continue to compete strongly on their selected lines to record solid results across both venues.
The sale combined to gross $3,086,480 at an overall average of $234 across all ages and shearings.
This showed a $30 rise in overall average compared to last year's fixture (and up $86 on 2019) where 11,680 ewes grossed $2,416,740 to average $204.
Corrigin
The first leg of the circuit fixture kicked off at the Corrigin saleyards with a top yarding of well-bred and presented 5067 Merino ewes descending from the local area and farther afield to the Eastern Wheatbelt and Kulin/ Kondinin region.
Young winter shorn ewes sold to $242 and older 5.5yo drafts topped at $195, spring shorn descriptions sold to $242, mature age ewes reached $252 and a single line of young autumn shorn ewes topped the sale at $256.
It grossed $1,147,546 for an overall average of $226, which was up $22 on last year's event where 5703 sheep averaged $204.
The Corrigin leg received 1574 catalogue views on AuctionsPlus with 28 registered bidders logged in from New South Wales, Victoria and locally, with 17 bids placed online across seven lots and resulting in three lots heading to a NSW buyer.
Top-priced honours went to a draft of 218 Kamballie blood, May shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by RG & DJ Maddock, Bonnie Rock, which were purchased by return buyer Matthew Gardiner, Mumballup.
Mr Gardiner said the ewes will be joined to Poll Dorset rams from local stud Marapana in December for a May-June-drop prime lamb aimed at a November turnoff for suckers, while the balance of lambs will be shorn and run through to March-April.
The opening line of 350 Claypans blood, August shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by the Laycock family, Quairading Contractor Services, were good buying at $242 for Laurie Fairclough, LS, SK & BS Fairclough, Stockdale studs, York.
Mr Fairclough said the ewes will be used as prime lamb matrons and will be joined to their own Poll Dorset and White Suffolk rams in mid-December.
The equal next highest price of $240 for young ewes was sold by regular local vendors MA & BJ Szczecinski, Corrigin, with 231 Manunda blood, July shorn, 1.5yo ewes which were purchased by BJ Stacey & Co, Quairading.
Elders Cranbrook agent Clarke Skinner was a prominent buyer representing a few orders and paid the other $240 price for 191 Kolindale blood, August shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by A & A Dirusso, Hyden.
Sale newcomers JE George & Co, received $238 for their annual draft of 109 San-Mateo blood, August shorn, 1.5yo ewes that sold to Mr Fairclough.
A bid shy at $236 was paid by Westcoast Wool & Livestock for 314 Ronern blood, August shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by BS & JE Crombie, Babakin.
Annual local vendor AL & S Crossland's line of 285 Claypans/Rutherglen blood, July shorn ewes were snapped by Marracoonda for $232 while three lines of young ewes sold to buyers on AuctionsPlus, which paid to $230 for 179 Narbethong/ Eastville blood, September shorn ewes offered by WG Young, Kondinin.
Mr Clarke secured two lines of ewes for an Elders Young, New South Wales, account paying to $228 for one of the run of gate drafts of 389 Woodyarrup/Rutherglen blood, September shorn, 1.5yo ewes from the large consignment of young ewes offered by the Doyle family, Wylivere Farms, Corrigin.
Mature aged ewes topped at $252 for 216 Ronern blood, September shorn, 3.5-4.5yo ewes offered by first time vendor CH & DO Spurgeon, Kulin.
The ewes were purchased by Jay Robertson, CJ & EJ Robertson, Kulin, as replacements to breed first cross Prime SAMM ewes with Tiarri and Kaula Dale rams with the F1 ewes then crossed with Kaya and Kaula Dale Dorper rams.
The following line of 410 Rutherglen/San-Mateo blood, September shorn, 4.5yo ewes from the paddocks of RJ & CM Guinness were purchased by Rodenway Trust, Moorine Rock.
Older 5.5yo values topped at $195 for the Young family's draft of 350 of the same description as their young ewes selling to Elders commercial sheep manager Mike Curnick for a Dalwallinu buyer, while the Crossland's 219 5.5yo ewes also of the same description as their younger sisters sold to GM & NR Vaughn, Narembeen, for $194.
Wickepin
Buyers and agents hit the road for the second leg of the fixture at the Wickepin saleyards where another excellent quality yarding of 8143 ewes awaited them.
There were strong numbers from the Wickepin and Narrogin areas while ewes from Kukerin/Dumbleyung and Lakes districts also made a significant percentage of the yarding.
The sale featured some genuine lines of ewes through to flock dispersals which attracted plenty of interest.
Young winter shorn ewes sold to $266, 2.5yo ewes to $272 and mature aged ewe values reached $262, young spring shorn ewes topped at $244, older autumn shorn 5.5yo ewes sold for $224 while summer shorn, 3.5yo ewes were in demand selling to $272.
At end of selling, the complete clearance grossed $1,938,943 for an overall average of $238, up $35 on last year where 6157 sheep averaged $203.
AuctionsPlus lifted a gear at the Wickepin leg with 1715 catalogue views and 39 registered bidders logged in from the same three States, placing 130 online bids across 20 lots which saw seven lines of ewes sell online, six to NSW and one to a WA buyer.
A line of 220 February shorn, East Mundalla blood, 3.5-year-old ewes offered by Davidson Farms, Kukerin, stole the show when they were knocked down for the $286 top price to Ryan Taylor, Krool Holdings, Kukerin.
Mr Ryan also paid $246 for 259 East Mundalla blood, August shorn, 4.5yo ewes offered by ML & HI Gooding, Dumbleyung.
A selection of the Taylors' ewes will be marked out for their self-replacing Merino joinings, while the balance will go to Golden Hill White Suffolk rams for prime lamb production.
An earlier draft of 431 Keetlen Valley blood, January shorn, 3.5yo ewes offered by KH Strevett & Co, Lake Grace, sold to Jane Bushby, Westcoast Wool & Livestock, Kulin, for the next highest price of $274.
The genuine line of ewes marked the final stage of the Strevett family's complete flock dispersal.
A sale feature was the flock dispersal of 1.5yo-5.5yo August shorn, Nepowie blood ewes from TW Flavel & Co, Dumberning, which sold to strong values across the draft.
The dispersal's $272 top price was paid by AuctionsPlus for 389 2.5yo ewes while the previous line of 586 1.5yo ewes sold to Mr Curnick for $266.
James King, Elders Narembeen, paid $262 for the Flavel's 384 3.5yo ewes on behalf of a Narembeen client while the 294 4.5yo ewes were snapped up by Windorah Farms, Tincurrin, for $232.
LJ & O Dawes', Rutherglen stud, Yealering, annual draft of 311 August shorn, Rutherglen blood, 1.5yo ewes sold to LR & S Sims, Narrogin, for $262, who regularly buys the Dawes family's ewes.
AuctionsPlus paid the next highest price of $256 for 181 East Mundalla blood, July shorn, 1.5yo ewes from regular vendor IF & SJ Lloyd, Newdegate, $250 for 307 August shorn, Collinsville blood, 1.5yo ewes from another regular vendor AJ & AM Carmody, Kulin and $244 for a big line of 632 Nepowie/ Leovale blood, September shorn, 1.5yo ewes from the paddocks of TF & JF De Landgrafft, Ravensthorpe.
The previous pen of 302 Fern Park blood, August shorn, 1.5yo ewes offered by ND & OF Grieve was purchased by Snow & Co, Wickepin, for $246 while F & M Inferrera, Mukinbudin, bid $232 for the Flavel's second draft of 221 1.5yo ewes.
Other higher prices in the mature ewe line-up included $228 paid by Mr Curnick for the Dalwallinu order acquiring 504 High Valley blood, August shorn, 4.5yo ewes offered by KP & SF Hall.
Paul Keppel, Elders Narrogin, representing a local client paid $226 for 409 Barloo/Pyramid Poll blood, August shorn, 4.5yo ewes from Clare Farms, while the final line offered comprising 178 March shorn, Golden Hill blood, 5.5yo ewes from the North Kukerin paddocks of RW & JM Ditchburn, Golden Hill studs, were snapped up by Ty Miller, Nutrien Livestock, Wickepin, for $224 on behalf of a Kulin client.
What the agent said:
Elders auctioneer and Corrigin representative Steele Hathway said it was an outstanding line-up of ewes that sold to stronger values than previous years, reflectiving the buoyant sheep and lamb markets and quality of the ewe yarding.
"Congratulations to the vendors for the presentation of their sheep," Mr Hathway said.
"The ewes were in very good condition reflecting the better season and I thought it was the best line-up of sheep I have seen at the Elders sale at Corrigin since I have been with the company.
"Thank you to the transporters for their timely logistics and preparation for the sale and to the Elders network for their support, especially Tony Carew-Reid and Alannah Richards for their efforts."
Elders sale co-ordinator and Narrogin agent Paul Keppel said he was very happy with the results.
"The buying support we received from the Elders network and buyers throughout the State was very much appreciated," Mr Keppel said.
"The presentation of the sheep was an absolute credit to our ongoing vendors and showed the good season giving buyers an excellent opportunity to purchase sheep in prime condition.
"Best wishes to the vendors who dispersed their ewe flocks at the sale.
"It was great to see a lot of sheep stay in WA with strong competition from AuctionsPlus which purchased about 27 per cent of the yarding but bid on 20 of the 29 lots.
"Thank you to the livestock transporters who did a particularly special job."
