The curtain came down on 36 years of stud Merino breeding for the Davies family at the Cardiff stud Merino dispersal and final on-property Merino and Poll Merino ram sale at Yorkrakine last week.
The Cardiff Merino stud was established in 1987 by the late Lloyd and Iris Davies and their sons, followed by their Poll Merino stud in 1996 with the Cardiff stud poll ewes already sold to the Belka Valley and Crichton Vale studs last year.
The Cardiff finale drew a big crowd of supporters and loyal clients, many of whom have supported the stud for decades including original stud clients, while the ewe dispersal attracted plenty of WA stud interest.
Cardiff stud principal Quentin Davies, who took ownership of the stud with his wife Diane and daughters in 2005, said he has enjoyed his time in the stud Merino industry and appreciated the support from his family, Elders, neighbours and his clients.
"It's been a long couple of days and I would be lying if I didn't have a tear in my eye when I brought the ewes in this morning," Mr Davies said.
"The old man wouldn't have been prouder to see all the brothers here together, they have been a huge part of the setup from the word go and I reckon he would be pretty chuffed to see this many rams penned up.
"The biggest thing that keeps you going is the huge responsibility of producing rams for the clients.
"You can't do it without the buyers, it's a no fuss situation here and you have turned up every year and I have made some great mates with my clients over the years and hopefully it continues, it's been brilliant."
Elders stud stock manager Tim Spicer said Elders had been involved with Cardiff ram sales for the past 35 years, starting in Wyalkatchem before moving onfarm a few years ago.
"I know it's not the end of the Davies family's farming career, but on behalf of Elders thank you to the Davies family for all the business over the years," Mr Spicer said.
"It's been a business relationship and friendship and hopefully this continues into the future and we wish the family all the best."
The Elders selling team, led by auctioneer Nathan King, kicked off proceedings with the line-up of 501 quality March shorn stud Merino ewes with 465 selling at auction for an overall average of $259.
In the breakdown of age groups, 164 one-year-old ewes sold to $310 and averaged $263, 167 2yo ewes topped at $300 and averaged $265, 48 of 84 3yo ewes sold for an average of $260 and 86 4yo ewes averaged $240.
Mitchell Crosby, Nutrien Livestock Breeding, representing the Mackin family's Kamballie stud, Tammin, paid top dollar on their way to sourcing three of the four top drafts of ewes.
They paid the $310 top price for 34 1yo ewes, $300 second top price for 41 2yo ewes and $250 for 22 4yo ewes.
Kamballie stud principal Shayne Mackin said he has worked closely together with the Davies family over the years and knew the Cardiff sheep well.
"We are neighbours and good friends, a lot of our land joins and we've worked with each other's sheep a fair bit," Mr Mackin said.
"We weren't going to the sale to make a decision, we know what the sheep are and what they can do.
"We have used each other's bloodlines so our sheep aren't that different.
"I think the Cardiff wools are their real attribute, they are very good wool sheep.
"And we aren't buying them for today, it's an investment for the future when hopefully things get back on track."
Luke Ledwith, Kolindale stud, Dudinin, collected all four second drafts, paying $270, $280, $270 and $240 for lines of 45 1yo ewes, 42 2yo ewes, 23 3yo ewes and 20 4yo ewes respectively.
Brendan Maher, Rockdale Valley stud, Muntadgin, also finished the sale with four lines of 2-4yo ewes paying to a $250 top price for the first draft of 25 3yo ewes.
Attention then swung to the team of 120 productive white wool Wheatbelt Merino and Poll Merino rams and at the end of selling, 110 rams had found new homes for an overall average of $1654, back only $37 on last year's sale where all 120 rams sold for an average of $1691.
It was the Davies family's fifth on-property ram sale after moving onfarm in 2019 after 29 years selling at the Wyalkatchem ram sale.
In the breakdown 82 of 84 Merino rams sold under the hammer for an average of $1732, marginally down by $88 compared to last year where all 85 rams sold for a $1820 average, while 28 of 36 poll rams sold at auction for an average of $1425, a rise of $48 on last year's $1377 average from all 35 rams selling.
Regular buyers of top Cardiff Merino sires in recent years for their nucleus breeding program the Smith family, Wongamine Grazing, Northam, returned to pay the sale's $7400 top price, albeit in unexpected circumstances.
When the Smiths got their ram of choice in lot two, a lot cheaper than expected at $4200, they added lot five for $4400 before paying top dollar for lot nine, a 105kg March shorn ram by a Barloo Impact sire with April wool tests of 19.1 micron, 3 SD, 99.9 per cent comfort factor.
Glenn Smith said they have used a number of Cardiff sale rams in their breeding over the past seven years which have performed very well within their flock and they were keen to support the final Cardiff sale.
He said they didn't plan to pay top price for lot nine but couldn't go past him after seeing him further down the line with the Barloo sire also introducing a new bloodline into their nucleus flock.
Losing bidder on the top ram Joe Felber, AJ Felber, Badgingarra, paid $4000 deep into the sale for a Woodyarrup Junior bred ram testing 17.2 micron, 3.5 SD, 99.9pc CF and 4.4kg GFW.
Mr Crosby, again representing the Kamballie stud, sourced a new Cardiff sire in lot six for the next highest price of $4600, a 109kg March shorn Woodyarrup Junior son testing 20.4 micron, 3 SD and 99.8pc CF.
Consistent buyers at the top-end of the market DA & YA Haywood, Goomalling, went to script securing a team of eight Merino rams for a healthy $2625 average through their classer Mr Broad.
The enterprise paid its $3700 top price in the lineup of April shorn paddock rams, a 107kg Banavie bred ram testing 18.9 micron, 3.9 SD, 99.5pc CF and 5kg greasy fleece weight (GFW).
But the Haywoods most special purchase was $3100 for the charity ram in lot 49 with all sale proceeds donated to Breast Cancer Research WA through the Shearing For Liz Pink Day fundraiser which has raised more than $400,000 for breast cancer research over the past nine years.
It was the first Merino ram offered this selling season as part of the campaign encouraging sheep breeders to donate the proceeds of a sale ram to the fundraising effort which made a significant contribution to the overall record of $164,200 raised last year.
This year's 10th annual Pink Shearing Day fundraising event will be held on Saturday, September 9, at the Cardiff stud's shearing shed.
The sale's volume buyer with a swag of 17 Merino rams clerked to its account was Morgan Tirrana Farms Pty Ltd, Bencubbin, operating from $800 to $1600 for its selections.
Richard Smith & Sons, Goomalling, raised its sights on the way to collecting 11 Merino rams bidding to a $3600 top deep into the sale for a 104kg Cardiff syndicate bred ram testing 17.9 micron, 3.6 SD, 99.2pc CF and 4.6kg GFW and all intervals from $1000.
Cardiff clients of more than 20 years, the Cosgrove family, Roylands Farming, Shackleton, loaded up a team of 10 Merino rams averaging $2220 to a $3000 top price twice before topping up with three poll rams at value.
Other annual buyers of larger teams included BJ & AM Large, Miling, with nine Merino rams, BM & KZ Morgan, Northam, seven Merino and two poll rams, Gra-Mel Nominees, Badgingarra, eight Merino and Poll Merino rams and GB Draper, Narembeen, six Merino rams.
The $5600 top-priced Poll Merino ram was knocked down to Mr Broad on behalf of the Panizza family's Old Aprelia stud, Southern Cross.
The 107kg March shorn ram by Kamballie Rookie measured 20.5 micron, 3 SD and 99.9pc CF.
They also secured the sale team leader, another Rookie son for a steal at $1500.
Buyer James Panizza, who was a losing bidder on some of the ewes, said they have sourced two Cardiff poll rams over the past 10 years.
"They have clicked well and thrown beautiful white wools," Mr Panizza said.
"We got the first poll for a bargain so we went again.
"It was a good opportunity to stock up and keep the Cardiff bloodline going, they are both Rookie sons and can be mated together."
Cardiff poll ewe buyer Bill Cowan, Crichton Vale stud, Narembeen, acquired two new poll sires paying $3600 and $2800 which are both Poll Boonoke Bobcat 137 sons purchased by the Manunda and Kamballie studs for $70,000 in 2019.
Fellow poll ewe buyer the Jones family, Belka Valley stud, Bruce Rock, through the bidding of Lauren Rayner, Elders stud stock, also purchased a 112kg Bobcat son testing 17 micron, 3.5 SD, 100pc CF and 4.8kg GFW.
