More tourists than traders at historic fair

Annette Scott MARKETS Sheep

IT WAS one of the smaller offerings of sheep at the annual Hawarden Ewe Fair last week despite the crowd turning out in droves for the saleyard’s 125th anniversary celebrations.

With a limited number of genuine buyers, it proved a hard sell for auctioneers.

“It was quite a conservative galley of buyers; people were there to buy but they had their limits and while the feature lines sold well, lighter condition ewes were a challenge,” Hazlett Livestock auctioneer Alby Orchard said.

“We were all a little bit surprised at the lack of genuine buyers and there is no real reason why people were standing off, but that is a reflection on where the market is in general today.”

He said some farmers held back some of what could have been offered because feed is plentiful.

The top Corriedale two-tooths sold from $166-$195 with mixed aged Corriedales ranging from $111-$176.

A limited number of Romney two-tooths sold from $220-$280 while crossbred adult Romneys made $84-$140 and fine wool annual draft ewes $84-$140.

The Lakes Station, North Canterbury, on-farm lamb, sheep and cattle sale was postponed on January 31 due to flooded access to the property. Orchard said roading contractors indicated that repairing the access would take three weeks, so in the meantime the 9000 lambs will be drafted off and held on farm with a plan to drove the 1500 ewes out when the

Hurunui River lowers, hopefully in time for the Sheffield Ewe Fair on February 10.

The 50 R2 Hereford-Angus steers will also be held on farm until road access is restored.

Meanwhile the Temuka Adult Ewe Fair on Wednesday offered 8300 ewes, which included three lines of capital stock.

PGG Wrightson South Canterbury livestock manager Joe Higgins said while the sale was down on the 11,000 of last year, this was a season trend given the lower sheep numbers around and the current state of the market.

Coopdales on behalf of a capital stock vendor were first up, setting the scene for the top quality condition ewes with prices ranging up to $221 for 4-tooth down to $132 for the annual draft ewes, while a second line of capital stock

4-tooth and 6-tooth Coopdales sold from $142-$197. Capital stock Romdales ranged from $124-$168.

In the rest of the sale Romneys, Romdale and Coopdale were selling from $143- $170, dependent on age and condition, with the tops of the annual draft ewes selling from $130-$142 with lighter condition ewes selling from $111-$126.