FEILDING RAM SALE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 5

FEILDING RAM SALE

Methven Man Pays Highest Price

"The Press" Special Service FEILDING, January 13. A South Island buyer, Mr J. D. Marr, of Methven, paid the top price for a ram at the thirty-first annual Manawatu and West Coast stud Romney ram sale at Feilding today. As has been the case over the last 11 vears, the ram was from the wellknown Bankhead stud of Messrs Brown Bros. Kiwitea. 11 miles from Feilding. A twin from a Bankhead dam, sired by a Middlewood ram. it went into the possession of Mr Marr foj- 2000gns. The next best price was also for a Bankhead ram. which was purchased by Mr R. Meads, of Hunterville. for 1700gns. Last year, the top price for a Bankhead ram was 2200gns. Bidding from the largest crowd seen at the sale for many years was brisk enough, especially for good quality sorts from well-established studs, but auctioneers had to fight for bids for less attractive lines. South Island buyers were present in good numbers, and purchased a number of rams from various studs, but the majority of the offering went to North Island buyers. Higher Average Of the total offering of 188 rams. 61 failed to reach vendors’ reserve figures and were passed in. Overall values were up on the corresnonding sale last year. The average for the sale was 283V2gns, as against ?66gns last year, when the top price was 2200gns. The total realisation was 35.730gn5, compared with 40.965 gns last year and 52,915gns the previous year.

The total realisation for the offering of 32 rams on account of Brown Bros, was 19,545gn5, and their average was 610V 2 gns. The offering of two Border Leicester rams on account of Hickman Bros. (Blenheim) was made at the end of the sale. Only one was sold, and this was bought by Mr S. Nowell-Usticke, of Hastings, for 50 gns. Sales were:—

On account of Brown Bros. (Ktwltea): at 2000gns, to J. D. Marr (Methven); at 1700gns, to R. Meads (Hunterville); at llOOgns, to H B. Mitchel] (Longbum); at 1150gns, to A. K. Spillman (Marton); at lOOOgns. to Balfour Stud (Pahiatua); at 850 gns, to R. A. Murray (Gore); at 750 gns, to A. R. Johnstone (Gore); at 800gns. to W. Johnstone (Te Kuiti): and at 600gns, to J. A. Holmes (Invercargill). On account Gordon Craine (Feilding): at 750gns. to M. Bremer (Waverley). On account of Roger Marshall (Marton): at 1150gns, to estate S. Williamson (Feilding). Other sales made to South Island buyers were:—on account of W. J. Allen (Rongotea), at 220gns, to Moffitt Bros. (Dunedin); on account of R. and B. Edgecombe and Mrs L. Thomson ( Waipukurau). at 300gns, to R. Oakley (Ashburton); on account of Roger Fergusson (Marton), at 90gns, to W. B. Trotter (Fairlie); on account of Brown Bros. (Kiwitea), at 200gns, to Ripplewood Farm (Dunedin); at 450gns, to B. W. Ladbrook (Gore); and at 410gns, to Brown and Trotter (Fairlie).