Overland's inaugural auction off to flying start with impressive $4075 average
Bidding needed no warming up at Overland's maiden auction at Bogan Gate on Wednesday, September 9, with buyers pushing hard from the first lots and the atmosphere remaining charged through to the closing gavel.
The full catalogue of 60 Merino rams cleared under the hammer for a impressive $4075 average and an $8000 top price, grossing $244,500 for a 100 per cent clearance.
The keenest bidding came for the final lot of the day, where two determined bidders competed strongly. It capped off a sale where the depth of buying was as notable as the top end, with several rams pushing past the $5000 mark across the catalogue.
Top price honours went to lot 60, sired by TW230182, measuring 19.4 micron with a 3.1 standard deviation, 16.1 coefficient of variation and a 99.5 per cent comfort factor.
The ram, carrying a 34-millimetre eye muscle depth (EMD), 5.5mm fat and 104kg liveweight, sold for $8000 to Spartan Pastoral Company, Killoola, Peel, through the bidding of principal Grant Toole.
Mr Toole also emerged as the sale's volume buyer, securing six rams for a $5416 average.
He said he was chasing structure and wool cut across his run. Additionally, Mr Toole bought the equal second top-priced ram, Lot 13, a son of TW230182 that made $6250.
"Good staple, good definition, good stretch, open in the face, and will cut a power of wool," Mr Toole said of his selections.
It was Mr Toole's first year buying from Overland, after his previous supplying stud, Blink Bonnie, Bathurst, closed following the death of its owner. He was introduced to Overland through agents AWN.
Volume buying also came from Paul Davidson, Sunview, Mandagery, who secured five rams for a $4200 average.
Mr Davidson, who has bought from the stud for the past four to five years, said he was selecting for low micron, good fleece weight and sound structure.
"I actually got onto Overland buying their wethers as trade lambs, and then I just started breeding my own off the back of the wethers' success," Mr Davidson said.
Equal second top price of the sale went to lot 1, sired by TW230182, which sold for $6250 to CT and TO Orr, Wyatts Lane, Parkes.
The ram measured 18.6 micron, with a 2.8 standard deviation, 15.3CV and a 99.9pc CF, carrying a 33mm EMD and 7mm fat on a 127kg frame.
Auctioneer Geoff Rice said it was a strong result for a first-time auction.
"It's been building for a few years, we've spoken about it for probably five years, when we were going to do it and how we were going to do it," Mr Rice said.
"They've always had an amazing local following with clients, and to have all of them turn up plus more is just an absolute great result, and it's a tribute to how good the sheep are."
He said the run's condition stood out given the season behind it.
"It's a credit to not just to them, but to what good doers the sheep are," Mr Rice said.
Stud co-principal Jake Magill, who works alongside parents Tony and Alison Magill in the family operation, said the move to auction selling reflected steady growth in the stud's client base.
"We're just trying to continue to ensure our clients are getting rewarded with the quality they're buying, and continuing to breed a productive and profitable all-purpose Merino," Mr Magill said.
Wednesday's sale was Overland's inaugural on-property auction, having previously sold by private treaty.
AWN Langlands Hanlon Stock and Station handled selling, with Ian Lovell as stud classer.
