Successful ewe fair at Sheffield

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 25

Successful ewe fair at Sheffield

A strong demand for annual draft ewes was a feature of a successful Sheffield ewe fair yesterday. Several lines of well-known station ewes were presented in excellent order and attracted a big gallery of buyers. Well-bred four and five-year-old Corriedale and Halfbred ewes from stations in the Sheffield district have a good reputation for shifting well and are usually sought after by farmers throughout Canterbury and parts of Otago. Prices yesterday were the best for several years making the sale as strong as other North Canterbury fairs held earlier in the season.

In some cases buyers were prepared to pay only a small premium for four-year-old ewes compared with five-year-olds. Most well-known four-year-old sheep sold from $25 to $3O while good five-year-olds from the same properties made between $22 and $28.50.

The top adult price was $30.40 for a line of four-year-old Halfbreds from Mount Torlesse station, Springfield. R. C. Reed, Dalethorpe, sold four-year-old Corriedales at $28.80 and Annavale Partnership, Springfield, received $26.20 for four-year-old Corriedales and $28.50 for five-year-olds. A line of five-year-old Romneys from G. L. and P. F. Ferguson, Baldoon, made $25 and J. R. Collier, Russells Flat, sold five-year-old Coopworths at $22.20 and Romneys at $23.40. A feature of the market was a line of annual draft Merino wethers from Mount White station, Cass, which sold to $26.50.

The top two-tooth price was $47 for 43 big Romneys sold by J. D. B. Reid, Darfield. Romney two-tooths from Mrs G. H. McLean, Russells Flat, sold to $41.20 (compared with $23 last year).

One thousand Halfbred twotooths from Estate J. Milliken (Brooksdale), sold consistently between $32 and $36, Mount Torlesse station sold Halfbreds to $35.80, and Annavale Partnership and R C. Reed received prices up to $3O for Corriedales. Some two-tooths had smaller frames than usual, a result of the recent years of drought, but the market remained sound. Buying competition came from Canterbury and Otago farmers. The yardings were 4975 twotooths (7339 last year) and 8279 adults (8847 last year). Sales included:—

Two-tooths Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd, sold on account of:—

Estate J. Milliken (Brooksdale), 100 halfbreds at $34.50, 100 at $33.60, 100 at $36, 100 at $34.40, 100 at $33, 100 at $33.50, 100 at $33.40, 100 at $34, 100 at $33, 100 at $32.20; Annavale Partnership (Springfield), 100 Cdrriedales at $3O, 100 at $29, 100 at $29, 100 at $3O, 112 at. $28.80, 90 at $28.50; Mount Torlesse station (Springfield), 102 Halfbreds at $33, 100 at $35.80, 99 at $34, 102 at $35, 74 at $32; R. C. Reed (Dalethorpe), 100 Corriedales at $3O, 97 at $2B, 103 at $30.20, 101 at $28.60; A. J. Prouting (Annat), 90 Romneys at $26; Ayrdale

Estate (Springfield), 96 Halfbreds at $25, 100 at $25.20; Mulholland and Sons (Darfield), 118 Corriedales at $27; G. L. and P. F. Ferguson (Baldoon), 100 Romneys at $27, 99 at $27; R. C. Stephens (Annat), 35 Corriedales at $34. Dalgety Crown, Ltd, sold on account of:—

R. H. M. Johnston (Ashley Gorge), 73 Halfbreds at $24.60, 118 at $27; C. E. Redfern (Sheffield), 40 Romneys at $27; T. C. and H. M. Taege (Kowai Bush), 91 Borderdales at $30.20; Mrs G. H. McLean (Russells Flat), 104 Romneys at $37.50, 85 at $41.20, 66 at $29.40, 100 at $37.80; L. R. Faulkner (Springfield), 59 Coopworths at $3O; P. R. Jebson (Sheffield), 68 Borderdales at $3O. Wrightson N.M.A., Ltd, sold on account of:—

Benmore Graziers (Springfield), 91 Corriedales at $28.40, 88 at $28.60, 78 at $27.40, 79 at $28.20; J. R. Collier (Russells Flat) 85 Coopworths at $29.20, 61 at $28.80; G. K. Inch (Sheffield Valley), 97 Border-Corrie-dales at $26.60, 107 at $22, 109 at $27, 59 at $25.20, 67 at $25; J. D. B. Reid (Darfield), 43 Romneys at $47.

Pyne Gould, Guinness, Ltd, sold on account of:— Mount Torlesse station (Springfield), 309 four-year Halfbreds at $30.40, 270 fiveyear at $24, 192 five-year at $23.80, 357 five-year at $22; R. C. Reed (Dalethorpe), 100 fouryear Corriedales at $28.80, 210 four-year at $27.20, 277 fiveyear at $24.80, 134 five-year at $24, 130 five-year at $23.50; Annavale Partnership (Springfield), 205 four-yearC corriedales at $26.20, 325 five-year at $28.50, 280 five-year at $25.50; Estate J. Milliken (Brooksdale), 220 five-year Halfbreds at $24.50, 248 five-year at $26, 197 five-year at $22.40, 194 five-year at $23.20; G. L. and P. F. Freeman (Baldoon), 302 five-year Romneys at $25; Ayrdale Estate (Springfield), 253 four-year Halfbreds at $25.40; High Peak station (Rakaia Gorge), 290 annual draft Halfbreds at $23, 130 at $18; F. and L. Westenra (Craigieburn), 133 annual draft Merinos at $16.40, 153 at $14.40; Mount White station (Cass), 120 annual draft Merino wethers at $26.50, 103 at $24, 100 annual draft Merino ewes at $2l, 121 at $19.50. Wrightson N.M.A., Ltd, sold on account of:—

Benmore Graziers (Sheffield), 235 four-year Corriedales at $25.40,121 five-year at $24, 157 four and five-year at $2O; J. R. Collier (Russells Flat), 127 five-year Coopworths at $22.20, 100 four-year Romneys at $23.40, 164 five-year Romneys at $2O; Peak Hill Partnership (Lake Coleridge), 240 annual draft Halfbreds at $22.40, 314 annual draft Halfbreds at $24; Castle Hill station (Porters Pass), 204 five-year Halfbreds at $18.60, 92 mixed age at $14.60. Dalgety Crown, Ltd, sold on account of:—

R. H. M. Johnston (Ashley Gorge), 201 annual draft Halfbreds at $23; L. R. Faulkner (Springfield), 141 five-year Coopworth cross at $2O, 121 at $22; C. E. Redfern (Sheffield), 183 annual draft Romneys at $22.20; A. J. Duncan (Springvale), 138 annual draft Halfbreds at $22.