Final Kintail Park Dohne tops $11,600

The much-respected stud had a staunch client base that farewelled the Parsons family in the best way possible - with a rock-solid sale that set an $11,600 stud record price and gave them a $1998 average for 111 rams, which to the best of their knowledge, was their highest average ever.

The top-priced ram, from pen five, was visually an eye-catcher and its Australian Sheep Breeding Values stood out, but the clincher for the many people who waved their hands at the auctioneer was their knowledge of the ram's sire Kintail Park 182598 and the wool quality he imparted to his progeny.

While Nutrien Livestock auctioneer Mark Bradbury took an initial flurry of bids from all directions, it turned into a contest between commercial client Mark Plunkett, ML & EL Plunkett, who breeds his own rams, and an interstate stud syndicate and when the ram was knocked down, the crowd broke into spontaneous applause.

The syndicate comprising Fiona and Darren Cameron who own Koonik and Hamilton Run studs at Goroke in Victoria and daughter Lily, who runs JAG stud at Hahndorf in South Australia, were the successful bidders.

Although they previously had toured many Dohne studs in the western State, it was the first time they had bought from WA and made the trip across the Nullarbor with the sheep crate on the back specially to take home some local genetics.

Fiona Cameron said before she left home she had selected three rams at the sale, based solely on their Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).

"I was also chasing structure and wool quality and this ram ticked all the boxes - he was an absolute stand-out sheep," Ms Cameron said.

The ram KP 211988 had a 195 Dohne index with exceptional components showing a 5.9 weaning weight (WWT), 8.3 yearling weight (YWT) and 1.9 yearling eye muscle depth (YEMD) that were all in the top five percentile band.

A second son of KP182598 fetched the equal $4100 second top price and was bought by another stud syndicate comprising Jeremey Genders, Noorla stud, Williams and Don Mills, Kardinia stud, Corowa, New South Wales.

Mr Genders said he bid on the top price ram but had been prepared to settle for pen 43 knowing it was closely related to pen five and had a high 192 Dohne index and a particularly good 1.6 YEMD.

Tim Bridger, trading as Bridger Pty Ltd, Ravensthorpe, also ranked among the high price buyers after paying $4100, $4000 and $2500 twice for his draft of four rams.

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Knowing it was the last chance to secure Kintail Park genetics, wool classer and ram buyer Julie Leenhouwers, Bremer Bay, who had an insider's knowledge having classed the Parson's woolclip, wanted a few extra.

She had seen first-hand the exceptional wool KP 182598 had stamped on many of its progeny.

Ms Leenhouwers said she had been going to the sale since its inception and this year she bought extra rams, partly because she knew it was the last sale and also because she and husband Greg had reduced cattle numbers and were running an extra 1000 ewes.

The couple bought 13 rams and paid up to $2600.

Ashley Lester, trading as RE & ML Lester, Bremer Bay, bought a draft of 12, paying up to $2500 twice and looked for plain free-growing white wools to withstand the high rainfall along the Bremer Bay coast.

After clearing former tree plantations, he was now focussed on re-pasturing the area and, rather than cropping, he bought in 1000 extra ewes which he considered were a better option in the wet conditions.

Losing bidder on the top-priced ram, ML & EL Plunkett bought a single ram at $3200 to use in a flock to breed his own sires and was among the higher price payers.

Yorklands Farms, Wellstead, paid up to $3800 for nine rams; Tim Pyle, Millstream Pastoral, Many Peaks, returned to buy 12 for up to $2100 and farm manager George Hams and adviser David Halleen selected 10 rams and twice paid up to $2900 for Wemyss Estate, Gnowangerup.

Prior to the start, Nutrien Livestock Breeding representative Roy Addis acknowledged Ms Parsons' work and enthusiasm in the stud and recognised son Rhys who was awarded with a life membership of the Australian Dohne Breeders Association for his efforts and commitment to the breed at a national level, saying they will be missed in the sheep breeding industry.

Their departure from stud breeding will reduce the number of registered WA Dohne studs to just eight.

The sale opened with five pens of about 40 ewes in each and although all were passed in, three pens were sold for an undisclosed sum to two undisclosed WA buyers.

Farm Weekly was advised negotiations were underway, not only for the two remaining pens but also for the entire 650-head stud ewe flock, stud sires and this year's lamb drop and it is most likely these will head interstate.

Stud principals Kim and Colleen Parsons recently sold their property and plan to retire to Mandurah and Ms Parsons gave a heartfelt thanks to their loyal clients, local Nutrien Livestock agent Neil Foreman, Roy Addis and long-term auctioneer Mark Bradbury who had shared their passion and journey over the past 18 years.

At the end of selling Mr Addis described it as an outstanding result in their last ram sale.

"The rams presented exceptionally well and carried very good ASBVs with a number of rams sitting in the top five percent for the breed," Mr Addis said.

"It was great to see the amount of support from established clients and even a first-time buyer.

"I wish them all the best in their retirement."