Anglesey sale tops $3700 three times

It was again familiar names that drove the sale, helping stud principals Geoffrey Shepherdson and Nick and Amber Crichton to a clearance of 110 rams of the 120 on offer at an average of $1909 and a top price of $3700 paid three times.

With consistency the theme of the sale, this year’s result compared favourably to last year’s with it almost setting the same key indicators.

Last year there were 119 rams offered and 116 sold to a top of $3200 and a $1938 average.

Buying power was the order of the day this year with only 15 buyers registered to compete on the 120 rams put up, but such is the confidence in the Anglesey product that buyers were there to put together big drafts of new sires and everyone who registered bought rams at auction.

In the breakdown of Polls and Merinos, there were 111 Polls offered and 102 sold to an average of $1917, while nine Merinos were offered and eight sold to average $1813.

It was clear throughout the sale that many buyers had selected the same rams to compete on and this saw spikes right throughout the catalogue with rams continually selling over the $3000 mark, but there were also rams to suit all budgets with $800 to $900 buys sprinkled throughout the sale.

The top price of $3700 was set on three occasions and it was repeat buyers for the stud that were involved each time.

The first ram to hit this price was found in lot nine and was a big, upstanding Poll that recorded excellent August wool tests of 20.7 micron, 3.1 SD and 99.5 per cent comfort factor.

It had a greasy fleece weight of 4.2 and an eye muscle depth of 33.1mm with a 101kg body weight.

This ram went to Hamish Milne, HJ & NG Milne, Borden, who was successful on seven rams in total, at an average of $2700.

Mr Milne said he was looking for large-framed, heavy cutting rams with soft white wools.

“We normally buy between six to eight each year and I have been steadily increasing ewe numbers in the past couple of years on the back of good sheep and wool prices,” Mr Milne said.

The $3700 price was again called out by Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren in lot 23, for another big ram with quality wool figures.

This time it was a volume buyer of the sale and another long-term Anglesey client WP Dolan & Co, Nyabing, that had the winning bid.

Warren Dolan, along with his brother Clint, carried out the bidding duties and said their top ram had a good barrel with free growing wool.

“We keep coming back to the Anglesey sale because the bloodline performs for us,” Mr Dolan said.

“There is a good range of wool quality on offer and the rams have good frames.”

The Dolans took home 14 rams in total to use over their 3500 breeding ewe flock, with their top price ram recording figures of 21.4 micron, 3.1 SD, 99.1pc CF with a 5.5 GFW and a 109kg body weight.

They were pushed on many rams they had selected, eventually averaging $2471 for the 14 they took home.

The crowd had to wait a little while before prices hit $3700 again when Tim Beeck, Glenorchy Estate, Gnowangerup, put the winning bid in on lot 85.

This ram tested at 21 micron, 3.1 SD, 99.2pc CF with a 4.4 GFW, a 42mm EMD and a body weight of 99kg.

Mr Beeck said being a close neighbour to the Anglesey stud, he knew the bloodline well and how it performed.

“They breed a good wool type with good bodies and are good, easy care sheep,” he said.

Mr Beeck ended up with four rams in total, paying $3200 for his second top price ram.

Volume buyers of the day were MK & M Peakall, Amelup, who were successful on 16 rams on the day to a top of $1900 three times, while Paul Cunningham, KJ Cunningham & Co, Tambellup, went home with 12 at an average of $1883.

Also taking 12 rams was Toompup Grazing, which went to a top of $1700, while Peter and Casey Bradshaw, P & W Bradshaw, Tambellup, took eight to a $3500 top.

Another long-term Anglesey client, the Bradshaws’ top price ram was found in lot three and had figures of 19.5 micron, 2.7 SD, 99.8pc CF and a 4.8 GFW.

Other higher prices on the day were paid by Pendalup Graziers, which went to $3600 for a Poll ram among its buying haul of four and PG & RM Hickey, Narembeen, who purchased lot four for $3400.

At the end of the sale, Landmark auctioneer Mark Warren congratulated the Anglesey team on putting together another quality line-up of rams.

“Once again the rams had great size and eye muscle measurements with good wool quality,” Mr Warren said.

“There were plenty of long-term, repeat buyers on offer and this loyalty is what has made this sale so strong for many years.”