SALE SUMMARY
Poll Dorsets
2017 2016
Offered 161 159
Sold 159 152
Top $3400 $2200
Av $1222 $1106
White Suffolks
Offered 148 150
Sold 148 150
Top $4600 $1450
Av $1190 $797
RECORDS tumbled at Richmond Park White Suffolk and Mulgundawa Poll Dorset’s 24th annual ram sale on Monday at Robe.
A new $4600 stud record was notched up when the lot 3 White Suffolk was knocked down to Rob and Stacey Bush, Rhogwyn stud, Mount Barker, WA.
The Bushes bid via the phone through former White Suffolk breeder Ian Cass, Loxton, who had sent them video footage of the June 2016-drop.
“They have bought rams off me in the past and know we like similar sheep,” he said.
The sale-topper, which weighed 117 kilograms, was sired by Oakwood 140025, a ram Richmond Park bought privately for $8000.
As a travelling companion to head west, Mr Cass also secured lot 78 – one of the impressive September 2016-drops that had great growth for age, weighing 122kg.
The 2.5-hour selling marathon saw stud principals Michael Emery and Mary Burazcott put up one of the state’s largest offerings of prime lamb sires with great carcases.
There was a total clearance of 148 White Suffolks for a $1190 average.
The Poll Dorset catalogue was also strong from start to finish, with 159 of 161 rams averaging $1222.
Bruce Parker, Kingston, kicked the sale off with a bang, securing the $3400 top price Poll Dorset.
The twin born, May 2016-drop was a son of Mulgundawa 140970.
“Its figures are not the biggest and best but it is a sheep that is extremely strong structurally and has plenty in it,” Mr Parker said.
JM&MC Williams, Kalangadoo, led the volume buyers with 24 Poll Dorsets averaging $1088 and six White Suffolks averaging $1100.
AD&VG Williams, Mount Burr, secured 26 Poll Dorsets averaging $1112.
New buyer Rising Sun Pastoral Company, Western Flat, dominated the first half of the White Suffolk catalogue with 41 rams secured through agent Kyle Livestock’s Chris Escott, in the $900 to $1200 price bracket.
Rising Sun often took all three rams in the pick of the pens.
Landmark conducted the sale with Gordon Wood and Richard Miller sharing the auctioneering duties.