Sutherland families' Arra-dale, Sandown genetics at Carnamah sees strong top price

With semi trailers parked around the ram shed for wind breaks and most wishing the rain had come weeks earlier to salvage a dismal (in varying degrees) season, the day out to focus on the 193 Poll Merino, Merino, White Suffolk and Poll Dorset rams on offer was a welcome distraction.

This year stud principals Les and Emma, Ashley and Jude Sutherland brought their entire offering into the one fixture including their Wynarling bloodline Poll Merinos, a stud they purchased several years ago but had continued to offer for sale in its foundation patch of Chapman Valley.

It proved a good move with 84 of the 88 Poll Merino rams offered selling at auction for a $1352 average, which compared favourably to last year when there was a total clearance of 63 Poll Merinos for a $1432 average and $3500 top price.

The day's top prices of $3100 and $3000 for lots three and four, both from the Wynarling stable, were knocked down by Elders auctioneer Graeme Curry to Alli and her father-in-law Ned Whybrow, Whybrow Farming, Badgingarra.

Both were sons of Arra-dale 296, a Glenlea Park blood sire which performed particularly well in the recent Muresk sire evaluation trial.

Les Sutherland said the sire had left a definite stamp of quality on its progeny noticeable in its 20 sons in the sale, plus a further three retained for stud duties, from an AI drop of 80 lambs.

The 114 kilogram young sale topper, covered in a quality wool from top knot to toes, tested 19.8 micron, 15.2 coefficient of variation (CV), 48.8kg weaning weight (WW), 31.5 eye muscle depth (EMD), 3mm fat and 119 greasy fleece weight (GFW), while its $3000 sale mate weighed 113kg and tested 18.9 micron, 14.8 CV, 50.2kg WW, 30 EMD, 3.6mm fat and 99 GFW.

Ms Wybrow said they sought soft white wool with good structure, colour and staple length on a meaty body.

Clearly they found what they were looking for, finishing with eight polled and one Merino ram for their 2200 head ewe flock.

"I prefer the horns, but Ned prefers polls and you can see who won out today," Ms Whybrow said.

"But at 88-years-old, I think he's entitled to have the biggest say."

Ms Wybrow said they used to buy from Broomehill-based Strath-Haddon stud, but following its dispersal several years ago, moved to Arra-dale because the Sutherlands were using similar family bloodlines.

"We have been very happy with that decision and are certainly staying with sheep despite the little market hiccups," she said.

"It (the market) will come back and we want to be prepared for when it does."

Another consistent supporter of the Arra-dale Poll Merinos sticking to his sheep program was Brett Broad, Broad Farming, Mingenew, who upped the anti this year by filling his trailer with 14 Poll Merino rams, three more than last year, at a $1436 average.

Fellow regular northern buyers Tony and Liz Sudlow, Northampton, were also out in force accounting for 10 Poll Merinos, while S Camerer, Moonyoonooka, was successful on nine Poll Merinos and four White Suffolks later in the catalogue.

A smaller 29-head offering of Merino rams saw 25 sell at auction for a $2600 top price and $1508 average, up $195 on the 2023 average, when all 39 rams offered sold for a $1313 average and $3500 top.

In a repeat of last year, David Spencer, Perenjori, bid the category top price of $2600 and then added four more Merinos to the team at up to $2300.

The top ram's figures were 18.5 micron, 17.3 CV, 52.2kg WW, 29 EMD, 3.2mm fat and 99pc GFW.

Others to operate in the Merino section included R O'Shea Pty Ltd, Mullewa, nine rams in total and Keith Camac & Co, Carnamah, six rams in total.

The Sandown White Suffolk section saw plenty of activity with Bundarra and Shirlee Downs bloodlines keenly sought.

Of the 50 rams offered, 47 sold under the hammer for a $1400 top and $994 average.

In the Sandown Poll Dorset section, 18 from 26 rams were knocked down for a $1050 top and $856 average.

The White Suffolk top price of $1400 was bid by Elders, Geraldton-based Mid West livestock agent Tom Page for a northern client.

The big bodied, well-rounded Bundarra blood ram, which was a twin, had figures of 0.27 BW, 14.65 PW WT, 1.37PW EMD and -0.02 PW fat.

Mr Page added another nine rams - including an equal second top price of $1300 - to his client's tally making an $1145 average for the 10 rams.

Coomberdale concern AM McCuish & Sons twice bid second top price of $1300 in securing four rams at an $1175 average.

The major volume buyers of meat breeds sires were Gary and Clint Chivers, Chivers Farms, Mingenew, who put together a quality team of 10 White Suffolks and 11 Poll Dorsets at up to $1200.

The Chivers buy in Merino ewes and are putting about 2000 head to prime lamb sires.

Mark and his son Brendan Walton, Patrecia Downs, Carnamah, were in the market for meat and wool sires and bought eight White Suffolks to go with six Poll Merinos earlier in the catalogue.

Speaking after the sale, for himself and fellow auctioneer Nutrien Livestock's Dan Major, who sold the Poll Dorsets, Mr Curry said given the seasonal conditions in the region the sale was exceptionally well-supported with a good spread of old and new buyers.

"The Sutherlands must be congratulated on presenting such a great line-up of rams and having the Wynarlings here for the first time worked very well," he said.

"They brought larger frames, new bloodlines and long-stapled well nourished wools.

"The White Suffolks had tremendous scale and muscle and sold accordingly, but a good selection of Poll Dorsets were softer on demand and clearance.

"It's the first time I've sold a sale in cyclonic winds."

Arra-dale stud co-principal Les Sutherland acknowledged the support of repeat and first time buyers but noted the season had had an effect.

"Normally we get about 40 registrations, today it was 28, but it was good to see those people getting the rams they needed and sticking with their sheep," Mr Sutherland said.

"So I want to thank them and also the agents and everyone else that helped today."