2020 Mated Ewe Sale

In extremely testing circumstances with a COVID-19 national shutdown, the easy decision for the Funke family, Bundara Downs studs, Western Flat would have been to cancel their long-planned 5^th biennial on-property, three breed mated ewe sale.

However, Steve, Ros, Greg and Selena Funke are not that easily defeated, and in a fantastic effort of logistical co-ordination they stepped up their input and promotion of the on-line sale capabilities, with vital assistance from staff of sale agents Elders and Auctions Plus.

This exercise was not without hurdles, creating quite a lot of extra work, stress and even some panic to ensure all requirements were covered and met. The oft quoted Theodore Roosevelt quote, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life” is certainly apt, with the Funke family’s reward being a fantastic sale result against the odds.

In the final wash-up, 251 of the 261 White Suffolk, Poll Dorset and Suffolk mated ewes sold to a top of $2200 and averaged an extremely healthy $857. To have achieved a 96% clearance with less than 10 buyers in the sale complex was beyond any pre-sale expectations.

Obviously the Auctions Plus network came through and had a huge effect on this level of sale success. There were 105 registered online bidders, involving all six mainland states. Collectively they placed 676 online bids, being successful in purchasing 188 lots, meaning 75% of lots sold went via this network and contributed 88% of the sale gross.

For the Elders stud stock auctioneers, Tony Wetherall and Laryn Gogel, it would have been a unique three hour experience, offering 261 sheep in single lots, primarily communicating with bidders they could not see or hear.

“With only a very small buying gallery in attendance, we were optimistic that buyers would be operating through Auctions Plus, but until the sale started we were dealing with the unknown,” Tony Wetherall said.

“The result was outstanding, with just eight bidders at the sale, but a huge number online kept it going at a fast pace with us having to have a constant eye on the video screen and just a glance or two at the gallery.”

“It was certainly an unusual sale to have 90% of the action on the screen, but with the COVID-19 restrictions, it is one we may well have to get used to,” Tony added.

At the completion of the sale, all three breeds produced very good results. Because of their greater numbers in making up 61% of the overall offering, the White Suffolk draft was the only one not to see a complete clearance. The breed made up 61% of the offering, but despite a less than complete clearance still contributed 62% of the sale gross. 149 of the 159 White Suffolk lots sold to the overall sale top price of $2200 and averaged $897.

All 70 Poll Dorset lots sold to a $1400 top and averaged $704, with the total clearance being particularly pleasing for the Bundara Downs principals.

Finishing off the sale was a first time offering of Suffolks in this sale, with 32 being offered and meeting very strong demand. In a very strong total clearance, they topped at $1800 and averaged $1009, finishing off the overall sale on a high note.

The sale commenced with the PTIL White Suffolk ewes, and typically the bidders were initially hesitant while the sale level was found. The first 10 lots, containing what the stud principals considered to be top 2019 drop ewes averaged just $770, 14% below the average for the entire draft. Brett Picker, from Bigga, NSW and operating via Auctions Plus grabbed the first lot at $800 and through this early hesitancy he was able to pick up five top ewes at a great value average of just $820.

From there bidding became stronger with the ewes that attracted more competition regularly exceeding $1000. However it was not until lot 96 that the draft and overall sale top of $2200 was reached. Long-time Suffolk and White Suffolk breeders Bob and Karen Cameron, Kingston placed the winning bid from the sale gallery for Bundara Downs 9867 Twin, a 2017 drop daughter of the prepotent high performance sire Bundara Downs 2261, and scanned in lamb with triplets by Ashmore 80. BD 2261 is the leading sire in the breed nationally with some 2839 progeny recorded in 60 studs. The Camerons were selective and picked up three White Suffolks and one Suffolk at a $1475 average.

David Pipkorn, Detpa Grove stud, Jeparit, Vic was the only other purchaser to go to $2000 when he successfully bid that for BD 9868 Twin, another 2017 drop ewe by BD 2261. Like the sale topper, she was scanned in lamb with triplets, this time to Ella Matta 180100. This was the ram purchased last October by a syndicate of three studs, including Bundara Downs, for a SA state record on-property meat sheep price of $29,000, with Detpa Grove being runner-up in that bidding duel. David Pipkorn purchased four select ewes at an $1175 average, with three mated to this sire.

The biggest volume buyers in the White Suffolk draft were Ian and Kathy Ross, Edenhope who made the most of the opportunity presented to commence a new White Suffolk stud with high quality and in lamb ewes. They purchased 28 ewes, paying to $1100 and averaging a great value $743.

Five other bidders purchased double figure numbers in this draft, all operating through Auctions Plus. Sara Morgan, Macarthur, Vic went to a top of $1500 in purchasing 16 top ewes at a $988 average; Brodie O’Dea, Pekina, SA also went to $1500 and averaged $980 for 15 ewes; Ben Finch, Elders Broken Hill purchased 11 ewes from $600 to $900 averaging $773; Josh Addis, Kalagan Farming Trust, Denmark, WA purchased 11 ewes at an extreme value average of $609; while Lachlan Noble, Eugowra, NSW picked up 10 ewes at a $670 average.

Two Tasmanian buyers added a fifth state to the buying list. Paul Catterall, Wattle Ridge, Turners Marsh purchased 5 White Suffolks at a $920 average, while Will Milroy, Pipers River purchased 3 at a $733 average.

The Poll Dorset draft of 70 ewes was dominated by one buyer; Craig Wilson Livestock, Wagga Wagga, NSW. He purchased 56 of this draft, paying to the top of $1400 and averaging $695 in wonderful opportunistic buying. While he paid the top price, he was able to pick up 38 of these at the $600 base price.

The top priced Poll Dorset ewe was BD 9478, a 2017 drop daughter of the high muscle sire Marocara 150049, PTIL with twins by Bundara Downs 170180. This ewe boasted outstanding performance figures including a Pemd EBV of 3.7 and C+ and TCP indices of 223 and 151.4 respectively.

Nicholas Say, Glen Innes, NSW was the most prominent of the other four buyers in this draft, selecting six ewes to $800 and averaging $700.

With outstanding performance levels throughout this draft, they certainly presented extreme value considering the current buoyant state of the meat sheep industry in this country.

The stud’s inaugural offering of Suffolks met exceptional bidding competition with 10 bidders successful, purchasing from one to thirteen ewes. Such strong competition forced extra bids from prospective buyers, pushing prices to the highest average of the day at $1009.

Peter and Julie Button, Ramsay Park, Minlaton were more determined than the others competing for ewes in this draft, successfully bidding on four ewes, going to the $1800 top, plus two at the $1700 second top price, and averaging $1525. The top priced Suffolk ewe was BD 862, a 2017 drop daughter of Lynburn 150247 and PTIL with twins to Karinya 8123.

Despite the strong competition in the draft, there was still value to be found. Shelley Hedwards, Kick Some Grass, Highton, Vic was able to secure 13 ewes at a $792 average, topping at $1100.

Malcolm Schaefer, Lake Ada, Kangaroo Island operated through Nutrien Ag Solutions’ Jordy Heinrich, picking up six of the best Suffolk ewes, twice paying to $1400 and averaging $1167.

In summing up the result, Tony Wetherall said it was a great day for Bundara Downs, Elders as agents, and the industry as a whole in being able to achieve such great success.

“Bundara again presented all three breeds in ideal sale condition for PTIL ewes. The depth of quality was extremely good, both visually, where they exhibited all the renowned qualities of the breeds, and also for performance levels, with the EBVs being second to none. It was quite a spectacle to see the entire offering all penned up,” he said.

“The length and depth of effort the Funke family went to, to visually display these qualities through videos and photos for interested clients wishing to compete online through Auctions Plus was exceptional and a great example of their professionalism and dedication, ensuring their product was properly marketed.”

“With COVID-19 restrictions, Bundara Downs went to the next level of online selling support, giving sight unseen bidders confidence to buy, especially with the “Full Bundara Guarantee” which was announced prior to the sale, further reinforcing that confidence,” Tony concluded.

In thanking people for their support post sale, senior principal Steve Funke said, “It’s not often you can have such a successful sale with such a small gallery.

“I wouldn’t recommend it as it was quite stressful, but it proves the technology can come through to fruition.

“Considering all the Covid-19 restrictions, without Auctions Plus we certainly would have seen a vastly different result, so thank you to them. Likewise, thank you to Elders for their efforts; it’s nice to have a corporate company with which you can have a meaningful and productive partnership.

“It is extraordinary times, but in general we were very pleased with how well the ewes came up under the restrictive conditions. To have been so well supported is extremely pleasing, so on behalf of the family, thank you to everyone online and here for your support; it has made all the work and stress worthwhile,” Steve concluded.

Successful bidders: 32 from 5 states

Agents: Elders Ltd

Auctioneers: Tony Wetherall and Laryn Gogel