Top two-tooths fetch $37.50

Press, 18 February 1977, Page 3

Top two-tooths fetch $37.50

Romneys met a buoyant demand on the second day of the Ashburton strong-wool, two-tooth fair at Tinwald yesterday. The yarding of 14,125 head drew a' big gallery 7 for much of the selling. With some strong outside competition, particularly from South Canterbury, a high level of values was set. Compared with last year, values were 50 to 60 per cent stronger, some of the top lines improving as much as 75 per cent. The $3O mark was reached or bettered on 17 occasions, and sales in the $25 to $27 mark were regular. The top price of the day was $37.50 for a pen of

early-shorn medium to strong-wool led ewes from Patterson Brothers, of Ruapuna. AU told, these vendors sold four pens totalling 521 head from $3O to the top price for a pen average of more than $34. An interesting point about the top price was that the open mg bid of $35 came from the gallery. It might have been designed as a “knockout,” but it was followed by five 50c bids to the final price. Bidding on the first pen of sheep offered opened at $25, and the market after the first hour rose a further $2 a head. For a time very few ewes changed hands below $25, but in the last hour selling be- ( came much slower, although’

11 sheep continued to fetch i very good value. Most of the vendors at the i Ashburton two-tooth fairs buy in their stock as ewe i lambs, so that after a season ! of high wool prices, followed by a keen demand for their : two-tooths, they have shown ! excellent margins. i; Quality was quite good qfor the season, a large pro- ■ portion of the two-tooths being strong-woolled. South Canterbury buyers took a fair number, and other sales were made to the Christchurch district and North Canterbury. A selection of sales included: — E. G. Milne (Highbank), 11191 at $24.50 to $32, with ’475 at $3O or more; A. J.

Dunlea (Winchmore), 673 at $33 to $35.50, with 252 at the top price; Ward Bros (Newlands), 282 at $32 to $33.50; C. M. Hill (Dromore), 420 at $24 to $29.50; W. A. Doak (Wakanui), 285 at $29.50 to $31.50; Allan Doak Ltd ( Wakanui), 574 at $26.75 to $31.50; Conlands Farming! Company ( Dromore), 527 at I $20.75 to $2B; N. C. Holmes (Rakaia), 196 at $28.75 to $30;; R. and E. Quigley (Punawai) ' HO6 at $3l; L. R. Gilpin (Mit-| cham), 120 at $3O: A. Hunt! (Mount Somers), 195 at $27.50; to $28.50; D. J. Morrow! (Montalto), 299 at $25.50 t<? | $29.50; R. M. Kingsbury i (Wakanui), 270 at $25.75 to! $27.50: Edradynate Farm! (Lagmhor), 267 at $23 to $28.50.