A new beginning at the Kamballie and Rockdale Valley on-property ram sale
It was the end of an era and a new beginning at the Kamballie and Rockdale Valley on-property ram sale at north Tammin last Friday.
Kamballie stud's ninth annual sale was the final one as owners of Kamballie for stud principals Shayne and Lisa Mackin and family, drawing to a close 78 years of Merino breeding for the family.
Kamballie stud's new owners Brendan and Prue Maher, Muntadgin, joined the Mackin family in offering a team of Rockdale Valley Merino and Poll Merino rams, which marked their inaugural sale of rams at auction.
Going forward, the stud prefixes will be Kamballie Poll Merino and Rockdale Valley Merino studs, with the Mackins continuing to manage the Poll Merino stud.
There was a huge turnout, with past and present Kamballie and Rockdale Valley clients, industry representatives and friends and family, showing their support at the momentous sale for both families.
Mr Mackin was visibly emotional during his pre-sale address where he thanked everyone for their support, recalling some valuable advice from Tammin local Roy Button in the 1980s which resonated with him since.
"Your clients are your strength, support your clients and they will support you," Mr Mackin said.
"Seeing your clients breeding productive sheep is what it's all about and I look forward to continuing supporting the clients going forward.
"Thank you to everyone for the interest in our sheep over the years, the Kamballie brand isn't going anywhere."
With a decent front delivering good rains during the afternoon, aiding the largely favourable season turnaround in the central and eastern Wheatbelt and renewed confidence in the State's sheep industry, on the back of a buoyant sheep and lamb market, the script couldn't have been written better for the Mackin's final sale.
It generated a positive atmosphere in the shed which shifted to the Nutrien Livestock and Elders selling teams when guest auctioneer Michael Altus commenced proceedings on the combined 200-ram catalogue.
The team of 21 regulation February shorn prepared Kamballie Poll Merino rams got the sale off to a blistering start with stud, nucleus and top-end commercial buyers generating a hive of bidding activity which continued well into the April machine shorn paddock run rams.
While buoyant commercial bidding competition continued on rams in the final row, values generally eased as the sale wore on, allowing buyers of all budgets to operate.
This not only reflected the depth of the catalogue of rams, but also buyers' commitment to taking their sheep enterprises forward.
This saw buyers deliver a memorable result, notching up a complete catalogue clearance for an excellent combined average of $2428.
In the breakdown, Kamballie sold 168 Poll Merino and Merino rams for an overall average of $2553, up by $91 on last year's sale where Kamballie offered and sold 180 rams for an average of $2462.
Kamballie's 21 regulation February shorn prepared Poll Merino rams topped the sale at $12,250 and averaged $5119, back $692 on last year where 18 rams averaged $5811, while their 108 April shorn paddock run polled counterparts lifted their average by $136 to $2362 from last year where 114 rams averaged $2226.
Kamballie's line-up of Merino rams saw five February shorn rams average $3450, while 34 April shorn, horned rams averaged $1444, back $321 on last year where 48 rams sold under the hammer for an average of $1765.
Rockdale Valley's inaugural sale offering of 32 Merino and Poll Merino rams sold for an average of $1769.
Their seven regulation February shorn prepared polled rams topped at $4600 and averaged $2600, while four horned rams of the same description averaged $2625.
Rockdale Valley's April shorn paddock run rams saw 16 Merino rams average $1244 and five polled rams average $1600.
The opening run of Kamballie February shorn Poll Merino rams yielded the bulk of the sale's top prices including the $12,250 top-priced ram in lot four, knocked down to Mitchell Crosby, Nutrien Livestock sheep development manager and Merino genetics, on behalf of return interstate stud buyers the Saegenschnitter family, Sharlu Park stud, Frankton, South Australia.
The upstanding ram was sired by Kamballie's influential sire Glenlea Park 482 'Crippa' purchased in partnership for $32,000 in 2022 and out of a Moorundie 061 bred ewe.
It tipped the scales at 119.5kg and 6.6kg greasy fleece weight (GFW) and displayed wool tests of 20.7 micron, 3.3 SD, 14.6 CV and 99.9 per cent comfort factor (CF).
Mr Crosby said Sharlu Park was looking to expand the Crippa bloodline in its stud.
"They purchased a Crippa son at last year's sale and are happy with his lambs, they really like the ram and the Mackin family and were keen to buy another one," he said.
"He is a ram with structure and purity and white waxy long-stapled medium wool."
The previous polled ram in lot three recorded the $10,750 second top price, when it was snapped up by the Johnston family's Merna stud, Quairading.
The classy 118kg ram sired by Glenlea Park 741 and out of a Kamballie 'Harry' bred ewe recorded wool tests of 18.6 micron, 2.7 SD, 14.3 CV, 99.9pc CF and 5.5kg GFW.
Buyer Kaiden Johnston said while the Glenlea Park 741 breeding provided a new bloodline for their stud, they were more chasing the ram's carcase and wool characteristics.
"He is a ram with good carcase attributes, square behind, topline and stands up well on all points," Mr Johnston said.
"Very special wool with purity and lustre and is well covered."
Mr Crosby also paid the next highest price of $9000 for one of two Kamballie February shorn poll rams, purchased by Rockdale Farming Company, Muntadgin.
The 125kg ram in lot eight was sired by Glenlea Park 741 and tested -1.3 micron (against team average), 2.8 SD, 100pc CF and 6.1kg CF.
Other WA studs to invest in Kamballie sires included Darijon stud, Narrogin, White Springs stud, Calingiri, Aylesbury stud, Merredin, Moonijin stud, Dowerin and Overton stud, Kojonup.
Cramphorne Farms, Muntadgin, paid the $5500 top Merino ram price for the 128kg February shorn Collinsville 9-bred Kamballie team leader testing +0.3 micron, 2.8 SD, 99.7pc CF and 5.9kg GFW.
They also picked up two Rockdale Valley Merino rams paying to the stud's $3400 top horn price.
The most prominent buyer was second-year buyer Simon Thomas, Redhill Farming Estate, Pingrup.
Mr Thomas finished with the largest individual account of 18 Kamballie Poll Merino rams and wasn't afraid to bid up on his selections, with the team averaging a healthy $2953.
His $5250 top price was paid for the 151kg sale team leader, a 2023-drop February shorn ram by Crippa used in the stud testing 19.2 micron, 3.4 SD, 99.6pc CF and 7.3kg GFW.
He also paid the $5000 top price in the April shorn team for a 107.5kg Glenlea Park 614 son testing +0.5 micron, 3.2 SD, 99.8pc CF and 7.7kg GFW.
Jake Finlayson, Livestock & Land, Nutrien Livestock, Cunderdin, put together the next largest team of 15 Kamballie Merino rams on behalf of consistent volume buyer RL Carter & Co, Cunderdin, operating at value from $800 to $1600.
Long-time buyers who paid strong values for decent numbers included the Saunders family, Mulberry Nominees, Kellerberrin and the Ryan family, Dremdarkin Farms, Yorkrakine.
Mulberry Nominees finished with 10 Kamballie Poll Merino rams averaging $3500 and paid to a $5000 top price for a February shorn 133.5kg Crippa son testing -1.2 micron, 2.8 SD, 100pc CF and 5.6kg GFW, while Dremdarkin Farms collected seven Kamballie Poll Merino and Merino rams and two Rockdale Valley Poll Merino rams for an average of $3000.
A more recent buyer at the Kamballie sale, the White family, Gra-Mel Nominees, Badgingarra, averaged $3400 on their way to collecting eight Kamballie Poll Merino rams and paid to a $4400 top price for a 111.5kg April shorn son of Ridgeway Advance 270 testing average micron, 2.8 SD, 99.6pc CF and 7.1kg GFW.
The $4600 top-priced Rockdale Valley ram was purchased by Mr Crosby on behalf of the Mullan family's Eastville Park stud, Wickepin.
The February shorn Poll Merino ram was sired by Banavie 13 with wool tests of -0.1 micron, 3.1 SD and 99.8pc CF.
Armed with two orders, Riley Stasinowsky, Elders Merredin, collected 11 Rockdale Valley rams, six for a Narembeen account and five Merino rams for WG Young & Co, Kondinin, paying to a $3000 top price while CB Flintham & Co, Merredin, also paid to $3000 for a team of six Rockdale Valley Poll Merino rams.
Poignantly, the Mackin family donated the sale proceeds of the final ram to charities close to their family and friends - Dare To Hope-Paul Dear Pancreatic Cancer Fund, McGrath Foundation and The Blue Tree Project.
The ram was purchased for $3000 by Mr Crosby on behalf of his family's Rossdean Partners, Nyabing, one of four Kamballie Poll Merino rams bought by Rossdean Partners for an average of $3150.
A player signed Hawthorn Football Club guernsey was also auctioned and raised a further $2000 for these charities.
