REMARKABLE SALE OF SOUTHDOWNS

Northern Advocate, 16 February 1926, Page 3

REMARKABLE SALE OF SOUTHDOWNS

ME JOHN DONALD’S FLOCK. PEAK PRICES REALISED. The dispersal sale of Mr John Donald’s Southdown stud at Westmerc attracted sheep-breeders from all parts of the North Island. The sale was conducted by Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd. It was the most successful sale of Southdown sheep ever held in the Dominion according to veteran breeders in attendance. The sale had become necessary owing to Mr Donald’s recent decision to extend liis stud of thoroughbred horses. It attracted a very large attendance, thoroughly representative of all puirts of the- Dominion, and the sale right through provoked particularly keen and spirited bidding. Four imported rams, one bred by His Majesty the King, had been used in the flock, in addition to the importation some two years agff 'direct from His Majesty’s flock at Sandringham of five particularly flue ewes. , The imported sheep and their progeny proved a great attraction at the sale. Mr Donald had wisely distributed the imported blood thropgh the flock, and that it, had left its mark was clearly demonstrated in the prices paid for all the sheep of Mr Donald’s own breeding. -The first pen of sheep offered was the imported ewes, bred by the King. Although three and a half years old, bidding for the quintet was exceptionally keen, and ultimately at the New Zealand record price for a pen of any breed of ewes —200 guineas—Mr W. H. Field, M.P., became the purchaser. Record prices for New Zealand bred Southdowns were also paid both for one-shear rams and ewes, and a further record was established by the high average paid for the entire flock of sheep—£33 4/- per head. The average prices paid were as follows: 38 stud rams, 244, gns; 31 ram lambs, 12 gns; 37 one-shear ewes, 12 gns; 64 mixed aged ewes, 10 gns; 30 ewe lambs,

o gns. For one-shear ewes the Now Zealand record price paid was 35 guineas, by Mr D. R, Goodrich, Otane, Hawke’s Bay. This ewe, which was bred by Mr Donald, was sired by the Earl, of Derby ram and was out of one of the imported owes. Thirty guineas was. also paid for one of the older ewes bred by Mr E.' McDonald, Dannevirko, which was taken by Mr Harry Palloon, Masterton. Messrs G, R. and H. Hutchinson, Auckland, secured two excellent one-shear ewes at 21 gns a-pieco, one being out of an imported ewe by the Duke of Richmond ram, and the other by the Brocklebank ram. Mr H. L. Best, Shannon/ paid 20 guineas for a owe by the Earl of Derby ram. Bidding on the imported three-shear ram, Bartlbw H 5 , bred by Rev. C. H. Brocklebank, commenced at 50 guineas, and Messrs G. E. and. H. Hutchinson became the purchasers _at 90 guineas.. A magnifieient one-shear ram bred by Mr Donald made the record price of 150 guineas, after a spirited threecorner duel, the purchaser' being Mr Robert Bremer, Waverley. This ram was sired by the Brocklebank' ram and was out out of one of the King’s ewes. Those five ewes together with their nine progeny, including the five lambs, realised the great total of 630 guineas. Mr -S. J. Blake, of Dargaville, gave 18 gns for a one-shear ewe and 16 gns for another. Mr Blake also bought a stud ram for 16 gris.