SA White Suffolk Foundation Breeders Sale disbanded by vendors

Sale host Allan Piggott, Illoura stud, said a group of foundation breeders met to discuss the possibility of holding an elite White Suffolk sale at which members could sell a few of their better-quality stud rams and stud ewes.

This led to the sale's formation in 1990, just five years after the Australian White Suffolk Association was formed.

"As a new breed it was difficult for any one stud to find the necessary number of elite animals to hold their own sale and draw a big crowd," he said.

Twenty three stud rams and 58 stud ewes from seven foundation studs; Ella Matta, Renrut, Anna Villa, Galaxy Park, Illoura, Aylesbury Farm and Leahcim were offered in the inaugural sale.

The auction once promoted as the largest White Suffolk sale in the world has been instrumental in the development of the breed.

Over the years more than 500 stud rams and nearly 3000 stud ewes have been sold across Australia with rams topping at $10,000 multiple times.

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Each September the sale has been held on the Piggott family's property at Moorlands due to its proximity to the eastern states.

Mr Piggott said the sale had been an enduring success due to the studs involved reserving some of their top rams and ewes for it, but in recent years with the big increase in selling options the current vendors have decided to disband the sale.

"White Suffolks have become one of the dominant breeds in prime lamb production and there are now many opportunities to buy genetics at sales," he said.

"We are seeing a few ewe dispersal sales popping up and it is getting very busy in the marketplace."

Mr Piggott says buyers who have sought out genetics at the sale will still be able to access stud rams and ewes from the three current vendors, Anna Villa, Illoura and Bundara Downs.

However these animals will be sold at other venues such as the Royal Adelaide Show Elite Ram Sale and studs' upcoming on-property sales.