By CATHERINE MILLER, The Stock Journal, September 23 issue.
BORDERTOWN's Bundara Downs White Suffolk and Poll Dorset stud became the pacesetter for the 2009 terminal sire selling season with an outstanding sale last Friday.
Stud principals Steve, Ros and Greg Funke cleared 158 of their 160 White Suffolk rams at their 13th annual sale for a $959 average, and achieved a total clearance of their 50 Poll Dorset sires for a $874 average.
Both breed averages were well up on last year's sale and to clear 200 rams was a stellar effort.
The sale was the stud's most successful on-property sale and continues its recent golden run, which included selling their Royal Adelaide Show senior champion ram in the Adelaide elite ram sale for $21,000.
The Funkes' $5000 on-property top price smashed the stud's former record of $4250, set in 2006.
Two phone bidders fought it out before the half-brother to the Adelaide elite ram sale ram, an April, 2008-drop was knocked down to RS&CL Duff, Cheeryna stud, Williams, Western Australia.
Enquiry for the stud rams was strong, because of some outcross genetics and excellent figures, with the six White Suffolk rams averaging $2417.
Victoria's Wakefield Park and Somerset studs, Cavendish, losing bidders on Bundara Downs' $21,000 ram at Adelaide, put in the $4500 winning bid for an eye-appealing July, 2008-drop ram.
Rams were still making $600 to $700 late in the catalogue, demonstrating the evenness of the offering.
The 40 Poll Dorset flock rams were also keenly sought, with Roger Stark, Naracoorte, the volume buyer with 14 rams for averaging $782.