2018 Bundara Downs Spring Sale

In welcoming repeat clients and new bidders to the Funke family’s 22nd annual Bundara Downs ram sale at Western Flat, Greg Funke said, “We are very pleased and proud of the consistent conformation and quality of the line-up of rams we have penned today which we think is our best ever, and back them with confidence.”

Three and a half hours later after Elders auctioneers Laryn Gogel and Ronnie Dix had stood over the last pair of rams in this three breed marathon that saw an 87% clearance and several new Bundara Downs records, he said, “We work in partnerships with our clients to get the best results we can for them and we are absolutely rapt with the support we have received today. We can’t thank them enough for their vote of confidence in our breeding program.”

Steve, Ros, Greg and Selena Funke offered 385 White Suffolk, Poll Dorset and Suffolk rams, selling 336 by auction to a top of $10,200 and averaging a very healthy $1372. They offered 63 more rams than last year, sold 66 more, were up $8000 in top price and $193 in average price.

To achieve that 16% increase in average while also achieving the 24% increase in the number of rams offered and sold is a great effort. It reflected the quality offered and clearly, the results repeat clients are getting in their paddocks.

The visual quality was supported by the extensive Lambplan data which ranks Bundara Downs in the very top group of studs in the country for its measured performance levels. Of all the lots offered, 84% ranked in the top 10% on indices for all terminal breeds.

There was a significant increase in registered bidders to 74 in the sale shed, plus 28 more on the Auctions Plus network which was used in this sale for the first time. While the network failed to produce a successful bidder, such was the bidding strength from within the sale shed gallery, it allowed over 40 producers logged on to see first hand the quality on offer at Bundara Downs.

With that number of registered bidders, the crowd wasn’t as big as one would expect, but it was strongly supported by several agents who actively service their clients’ needs and came with multiple client buying orders.

There was none more active than PPH & S Naracoorte agent Richard Harvey. He bid and purchased for seven clients, compiling a total of two stud and 43 flock rams at a $1144 average, having a huge influence on the sale result.

Several Bundara Downs highlights included the sale of their first ever stud Suffolk ram at $3600, the sale of three very significant Poll Dorset stud rams from $9200 to $10,200, plus an outstanding 97% clearance of 241 White Suffolks to a $6200 high.

The individual highlight was the sale of the third Poll Dorset ram offered, Bundara Downs 179705, for the overall sale top of $10,200. It was purchased by Collyn Garnett, Curlew Creek stud, Gnowangerup, WA after outlasting John Pepper, Murndown Poll Dorsets who connected via phone. With terrific balance and structure, this son of BD 133266 had outstanding Lambplan figures of 15.6 for Pwwt, -0.80 for Pfat, 2.30 for Pemd and a Carcase Plus Index of 207. Collyn followed up eight lots later by paying $9200 for BD 170247Tw, sired by Old Woombie 130219 that was introduced via AI for muscling and eating quality traits. This ram was equally impressive as the top lot for performance with a C+ index of 215.

Collyn Garnett said he’d been dealing with the Funkes for a few years now and they were very good people to deal with.

“We have similar breeding objectives and their sheep have done very well at home. We can buy with confidence knowing they complement our breeding program,” he said.

Murndown purchased the lot after the sale topper, BD 179579 for just $2200.

Initially it was the first Poll Dorset offered, BD 170258 that set new benchmarks. With the highest C+ index on the catalogue of 229, this very impressive and powerful son of Hillcroft Farms 130156 had a Pwwt EBV of +18.4 and a Pemd of 3.1. It also attracted two very determined bidders, with David Galpin, Warrawindi stud, Penola outlasting Leigh Clifford, Gowanbrae stud, Millicent with a successful $9600 bid.

It was the run of 241 White Suffolks that kicked the sale off on a top note, with the first ram offered, BD 170069 being knocked down for $6200 to John Stephenson, Millinup, WA. He also connected to the sale via phone to win the strong bidding competition for the ram that was brought forward from its catalogue position of lot 11 after winning the reserve senior championship at the recent Adelaide Royal Show. It was sired by BD 122026 and boasted a C+ index of 203.

The O’Sullivan family, Mission stud, Baynton, Vic were strong bidders and secured two of the first six rams offered; BD 179882Tw for $4200 and BD 170853 for $2600.

Peter Button, Ramsay Park stud, Minlaton also purchased two of the White Suffolks for stud duties for $2400 and $2700.

His latter purchase was BD 170088Tw, another 209 C+ index son of BD 122026 was offered at lot 19. For each of the past 15 years the Funke family has donated the total proceeds of their lot 19 ram to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and continually tries to present a better ram. The $2700 was a record for this lot and brought their generous donation total up to $25,120.

Paul Dolling, Uralba stud, Cleve was another successful White Suffolk stud purchaser, paying $2200 for a very well balanced BD 170470.

In the Poll Dorsets, stud rams also went to Eldra stud, Naracoorte (two at $2000 and $2400), the Athlone stud, Penshurst, Vic (two at $2200 each), the Moora Hills stud, Macarthur, Vic (one at $2300) and the Ilfracombe stud, Donald, Vic (one at $2100).

Along with Bundara Downs first Suffolk stud ram sale, these took the total of rams going to stud duties from this sale to 17, another record for the Funke family.

It was the second Suffolk ram of 20 offered in the final draft of the day, BD 170817 that sold to stud duties for $3600. The successful bidder was Craig Mitchell, bidding via phone for the family’s Gemini Suffolk stud, Werneth, Vic who outlasted Hamish and Noeleen Branson, Mortlake who travelled over to check out this son of WA bred Lynburn ‘Game Changer’ 150247. He has certainly changed the game for the Bundara Downs Suffolk program, with 10 of the 13 that sold at auction in this draft being his sons, the feature being exceptional muscling and early growth in a traditionally later maturing breed.

While the top prices were the headlines, it was the buying strength from the 64 commercial producers that had the biggest effect on the high clearance rate and strong average.

The Funkes keep growing the number of high quality and industry leading performance rams they are producing to keep ahead of demand and ensure clients receive good value. It was only the extra Poll Dorsets that were added because of last year’s very strong demand that suffered clearance wise, with 22 of the last 28 offered not finding buyers. The strong local support at Bundara Downs’ inaugural ram lamb sale in February also could have had an effect on demand running out in this sale at the end of the draft.

Having the biggest individual influence on the overall sale result by far were Leon and Tim Schwarz, Muston Creek, Hamilton. Buying through Landmark Hamilton, they were once again the highest volume buyers with 39 rams comprising 24 White Suffolks and 15 Poll Dorsets, paying $2000 four times and averaging $1395. Despite a stronger sale overall, they were able to average $20 less than last year, probably due to the greater depth of quality and buying options this year.

“We have been purchasing here for 10 years now, initially because progeny from rams we sourced locally weren’t growing out as we liked, but the performance we’ve got from these rams is very good; they grow quickly and keep going on to heavier weights,” Leon Schwarz said.

Chasing the very best high performing White Suffolks was Karwin Nominees, buying through Spence, Dix & Co, Meningie. They purchased nine select rams, paying from $1400 to $2500 and averaging $1713.

Repeat Poll Dorset buyer Ben Stark, Stark Grazing, through Elders Naracoorte purchased 10 rams, paying from $1000 to $2200 and averaged $1600.

Also operating on the top end performance rams and successfully bidding on eight White Suffolks and two Poll Dorsets at a $1430 average was Kinyerrie Partnership, through Elders Keith.

Matt Fiebig, through Platinum Livestock was also selective and strong on seven White Suffolks and two Suffolks, paying to $1600 and averaging $1267, while Scotglade Pastoral through Elders Lucindale averaged $1100 for eight White Suffolks.

Two of Richard Harvey’s client list hit double figure purchases. He purchased 12 at a $1067 average for Lannin Farms, and 11 for Munga Farms at an $864 average.

The second highest individual volume purchaser was McCarthy Partners through Elders Lucindale. They purchased 16 White Suffolk rams to a budget from $900 to $1100 and averaged $950.

The Graetz Family Trust through Elders Bordertown also operated solely on White Suffolks in the same budget range and were successful bidders on 13, averaging $992.

TDC Penola agent Hayden Lambert purchased eight White Suffolks and four Poll Dorsets, averaging a great value $808 for his clients, AP & MA Murdoch.

Rounding out the more prominent buyers were Andrew Bennett, Bendulla and buying through Elders Bordertown, with six White Suffolks and five Suffolks at a $918 average, and WEG Collins, through Elders Naracoorte with 10 White Suffolks at an $870 average.

Elders auctioneer Laryn Gogel said post sale, “It was an outstanding sale and quality sheep kept coming through all the way from top to toe. Aesthetically they were right and when you looked at the catalogue the figures were outstanding. The Funke family continues to challenge us with extra numbers and we continue to line them up and obviously from the results, buyers liked what they saw.”

Bundara Downs senior principal, Steve Funke said, “We’ve had a huge day and clearly what we did today was one of the biggest highlights we’ve had.”

“Credit must go to Greg for all his preparation work; that’s the key to this success. To walk in and look at the last ram in the catalogue and say, “That’s a pretty good ram,” is very pleasing. You don’t often get a chance to do that,” he concluded.

Agents: Elders Bordertown
Auctioneers: Laryn Gogel and Ronnie Dix