SALE SUMMARY
2017 2016
Offered 50 53
Sold 48 43
Top $3000 $1800
Av $1431 $1151
HANOOKRA Border Leicester stud notched up its best ever South East sale, with the average lifting $280 and the $3000 sale topper nearly double last year’s high.
Stud principals Rodney and Tracey Willmott, Kingston, sold 48 of 50 Iimpressive rams for a $1431 average at the Naracoorte Showgrounds on Wednesday last week.
An 11 hour drive by Phil Russell, Tenalba, Canowindra, NSW, paid off finding a new stud sire in Lot 4, which still had its lamb’s teeth.
The Morton 14-368 son had a Border maternal $ index of 123.5.
“It was the best wool type in the shed with good solid conformation,” Mr Russell said.
“Its mother is the sister to one of Rod’s best sires.”
Mr Russell said he was drawn to Hanookra for its excellent fat to carcase ratio figures and lean meat eating quality figures.
Stewartdale, Naracoorte, who were also strong at the stud’s Kangaroo Island sale a fortnight earlier, led the volume buying list with seven rams to $1800 for a $1343 average.
Childerley Park Props, Naracoorte, bought six rams also to $1800 for a $1400 average, while DH&HJ Williamson, Naracoorte, secured five rams for a $940 average.
Elders auctioneer Tom Penna said it was an “exceptionally good catalogue” of rams.
“This is the first time I have seen them but I was genuinely impressed with the growth and frame for being only August -September (2016) drops,” he said.
“Their width of body for large framed rams was very good as was their wool types.”
Mr Willmott said they were rapt with the result, especially the near total clearance, buoyed by three KI buyers topping up their orders at the SE sale.
“A couple of our regular buyers were missing with shearing and whatever else which was the difference between a very good and an outstanding sale,” he said.
He said it had been noticeable buyers were chasing positive fat and eye muscle rather than solely buying on the Border Leicester index.
Elders conducted the sale.