2017 Bundara Downs Spring Sale

In a celebratory mood for their 21st annual ram sale, Steve, Ros, Greg and Selena Funke penned a high quality and elite performance draft of 322 White Suffolk, Poll Dorset and Suffolk rams for buyer competition last Friday at Western Flat.

With a much more favourable season than the last two, over 100 people attended including 61 registered bidders from three states. 270 rams cleared at auction to 51 successful bidders, topping three times at $2200 and averaging $1179, up $45 on last year’s sale, which in itself was a big improvement on 2015.

Ultimately supply and demand dictated the overall clearance and average, with more rams penned than buyers required, but the Funke family wanted to ensure all potential buyers were catered for at fair value. Competition in the front half of each breed draft was exceptionally strong from this totally commercial buyer gallery, but from then on the sale swung very much in the buyers’ favour.

The calls from Laryn Gogel (SAL) and Ronnie Dix (Elders) in the dais of “growth, muscling, bone, spine, depth and rump” kept on coming as pair after pair of high quality rams entered the selling ring.

Their visual quality was more than matched by the Lambplan figures, with 44% of the offering exceeding 200 on the Carcase Plus Index. While striving to cater for buyer number requirements, it could be argued that the sale was too much in the buyers’ favour. High quality rams with Carcase Plus indices of over 200 were being purchased from $700 to $900 in the last half of the catalogue, with one buyer averaging $800, having sold his lambs the week before at $180/head.

The one thing to be assured of was buyers went away very happy with the quality they purchased and the exceptional value they got in most cases.

The two most dominant buyers were a repeat of last year, headed by Leon and Tim Schwarz, Muston Creek, Hamilton, Vic. Supported by their Landmark agent Robert Lovell, they were successful in purchasing 41 rams this year, paying to $1900 and averaging $1415. They purchased from two breeds with 27 White Suffolks to $1900 and 14 Poll Dorsets, including all four that made the $1800 top price in that breed.

Ben Stark, Stark Grazing, Naracoorte and buying through Elders Naracoorte was the dominant Poll Dorset ram buyer again with 20 rams to $1700 and at an $1165 average. There were an extra 30 Poll Dorsets offered this year with the objective of giving enough selection numbers to attract bigger commercial lamb producers. As a result, Ben was able to purchase his high quality selections for an average of $260 less than last year for the same number of rams, even though the overall sale average was up.

LS Johnson & Son, through Elders Naracoorte was one buyer who was attracted to Bundara Downs this year for the first time, because of the selection numbers of quality rams offered. They purchased 10 Poll Dorsets, paying to $1600 and averaging $1170, just below the overall sale average.

Nanni Di Giorgio, buying through PPH & S Naracoorte was selectively strong in his bidding, purchasing seven Poll Dorsets to $1700 and at an average of $1600.

The $2200 top price was paid three times from the White Suffolk drafts, all from purchasers of two rams each. RJ Hage, through Elders Keith went to that level for BD 8577, with a C+ index of 211 and an eye muscle EBV of 3.0. Stormy Lodge Pty Ltd, Wagga Wagga made the long trip from NSW to pick up BD 8838 with a C+ index of 226. This ram was sired by BD 2261, a sire of influence with over 2000 progeny within the White Suffolk breed. Stuart Kyle, Westech Ag Kyle Livestock, Vic purchased BD 9327Tw for client Gumlee Park, this ram having a C+ index of 214.

Stuart Kyle operated for four clients on the day, purchasing 14 White Suffolk rams. R Crouch & Co with six rams to $1500 and at a $1283 average was the most prominent amongst them.

Richard Harvey, PPH & S Naracoorte had a big influence on the overall result. He directly purchased for seven of the nine clients that registered through his branch agency, totalling 38 rams, many in the extreme value range. Most prominent amongst them was Munga Park (15 at an $873 average), Banning Partners (eight ave $700) and AJ & PK Schubert (five ave $1620).

Platinum Livestock’s Adam Bradley, Keith had three strong bidders in this sale. He purchased for Hyfield Pastoral, securing six Poll Dorsets to $1500 and averaging $1383. TJ & JL Altus purchased eight White Suffolks to $1200 and averaged $913, while Matt Fiebig bid on his family’s own account, purchasing eight White Suffolks and one Suffolk, paying to $1400 and averaging $944.

Kym Lovelock, Spence Dix & Co, Bordertown purchased 17 rams for four clients to also add depth of bidding. Kennett Farms with five to $1200 and averaging $1000, and Pietsch Rural with five to $1100 and averaging $960 were the most prominent of these.

Operating throughout the White Suffolk drafts, Karwin Nominees, buying through Elders Coonalpyn, were selectively strong and were a good example of clients who chased elite performance levels and got them at good value. They purchased seven rams, paying to $1800 and averaging $1386. Every one of their purchases was above 200 for Carcase Plus and the 7 averaged 213.53 on this index.

Every year the Funke family donates the proceeds of their lot 19 ram to the Royal Flying Doctor Service; their family having had cause to call on this vital service on two occasions. Coincidentally this year’s charity ram at lot 19 was purchased by buyer 19, neighbours Kym and Leanne Krause, this being one of five rams they purchased at a $1380 average. They paid $1800 for the charity ram, taking the proceeds the Funkes have donated to RFDS to well over $20,000. Bordertown RFDS President Grid Hubl accepted the donation on behalf of RFDS.

Other buyers of note included Feder Farming through DMD Nhill (six to $1600 ave $1567), Bennett Farms through Elders Coonalpyn (six to $1700 ave $1183), PA & MA Thorpe through Elders Bordertown (five ave $920), BA Mewett & JA Wesley also through Elders Bordertown (five ave $880) and KW Exton through SAL Bordertown (five ave $767).

Agents: Elders Bordertown & SAL Naracoorte
Auctioneers: Laryn Gogel (SAL) and Ronnie Dix (Elders)