Buyer registration numbers doubled on 2020 at Vanita stud's annual on-property ram sale ensuring a surge in the stud's averages on Tuesday last week at Kingston SE.
Forty potential buyers from as far afield as Jamestown and Loxton joined a large contingent of local graziers to bid on the 79 Border Leicester, 69 Poll Dorset and 35 White Suffolk rams listed in the 2021 sale catalogue with just one of these rams passed in.
It was the first time a selected line of White Suffolk rams had been offered by the Geue family.
RELATED: Border buyers bid up at Vanita
The draft of 79 Border Leicester rams were the first through the ring and achieved a total clearance for a $2997 average- up a massive $1581 on 2020.
First bids were called on the first pen of three rams, two selling at $3400 to BT Ling, Mount Benson and the third going to repeat buyer, Chris Wright, Kongorong, also at $3400.
The next pen generated the most interest amongst the gallery.
There were a flurry of bids until the hammer fell at $5200 to return buyers, Delro Pastoral Co, Woolumbool. Their pick of the pen landed them with lots 4 and 5- the top price paid in the Border Leicester draft.
This completely obliterated last year's high of $2400.
Both rams were August 2020 drop. Lot 4 sired by Paxton 72-17, weighed 113kg with an eye muscle depth of 38mm, 7mm for fat and Micron of 37.3.
Lot 5 was a son of Glencorrie 142-16. It weighed in at 109kg showing an EMD of 36mm , a fat depth of 7mm and a micron of 38.5.
Delro Pastoral Co, took 14 Border Leicester sires home for a $3536 average.
Long-time Vanita clients, the Ratcliff family, Haydenwood Partners, Keilira, bought 17 Border Leicesters to $3400, averaging $3029.
Local graziers, BT&E Ling, Mount Benson bought 11 Border Leicesters paying between $2600 -$3700 for an average of $3173.
Sixty eight Poll Dorset rams found homes from 69 offered, to a sale high of $2800, eclipsing last year's sale high of $1900.
MW Copping, Lucindale paid the top money for lot 4, a May drop ram with Ulandi Park 254-17 genetics, weighing 128kg, with a 46mm EMD and 8mm fat.
Repeat buyers, CR&MM England, Kingston SE,were the volume Poll Dorset buyers, paying from $800 - $2500 for eighteen rams at an average of $1555.
The Rasheed family, Boolapuckee Pastoral, Taratap bought eight Poll Dorsets from $1600 to $2400 for an average of $1600.
Over the years, the Geue family have been staunch supporters of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, annually selecting a sale ram and donating the proceeds to the charity. This year's ram- a Poll Dorset was knocked down to Philip Schaefer, Kingston at $1800.
The addition of the White Suffolk rams to the sale paid off in spades, with a full clearance of the thirty five rams on offer. DW Lind, Keith paid the top of $2400 for lot 4, a September 2020 drop ram weighing 112.5kg, with an EMD of 39 and fat depth of 8mm.
It was sired by Aylesbury Farms 8154.
Mr Lind bought five White Suffolks for a $2000 average.
Mardango Props, Keith put together five White Suffolks, paying $1400 for their top pick and an average of $1280, while local Kingston grazier, Lawrie Ellery, secured five White Suffolks between $800 - $1200 for a $1040 average.
WP&MA Andrews, Kingston SE, paid from $1000 to $1600 for an average of $1440 for five White Suffolks.
Stud co-principal Nathan Geue was exceptionally happy with how the offering had lined up and the sale result.
"We thought prices might be up a bit but it's beaten all expectations, with twice more buyer registrations than last year," he said.
"Today was our best line up yet. We're always aiming for that next level, and with the addition of Glencorrie and Paxton bloodlines in the Borders and new genetics in the Poll Dorsets this year, we're seeing the results".
Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Richard Miller said the strong sale result was reward for effort for the Geue family, describing it as the most even draft he had stood over.
"They've been producing top quality sheep for a long time now and the word is obviously getting around," he said.
"There were lots of new buyers here today, backed up by a power of repeat buyers - forty registrations is well up on where we normally are and unfortunately a number of potential buyers went home empty handed.
"In terms of quality and consistency, it's as good a draft as Vanita has ever produced and I challenge anyone on phenotype to find a better draft of rams in the state".
Nutrien Ag Solutions Kingston conducted the sale.
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