A MASSIVE $19,000 was raised in the name of charity last Friday when the Dubbo All-Breeds Hoof and Hook Competition champion pens of sheep went up at auction.
A total of 35 sheep were offered, averaging $542.85.
The top price lamb was out of a pen of Steve Cresswell’s White Dorpers which made $1100, paid for by Mr Cresswell, Annalara White Dorper stud, Dubbo.
Mr Cresswell’s pen of White Dorpers was sashed the champion pen of lambs on the combined hoof and hook, with the three remaining lambs after judging attracting a total of $3100 at auction.
The reserve champion combined hoof and hook pen was entered by Cameron McPherson, Junee.
The seven-and-a-half month old Poll Dorset/SAMM cross lambs, which weighed 50.4kg/lw and 24.9kg cw on average, also won the champion hoof section.
At auction, the pen of three sold for an average of $620 a head.
The champion hook pen was a pen of White Dorpers offered by Matt and Kate Spry, Tamworth which made an average of $550/head.
The reserve champion hoof pen was a pen of White Dorpers offered by Graham Pickles, Ootha which sold for an average of $550/head while the reserve champion hook pen, Dorpers also offered by Mr Pickles, secured an average of $460/head.
While the competition committee originally planned to offer only the champion pens, the demand from bidders called for more pens.
A further six charity lamb pens were put up at auction.
The Kelly family from Wongarbon offered their Poll Dorset lambs, which attracted an average of $300/head while a pen from Shanks Farming, Collie sold for $800/head average.
Mr Cresswell offered his second pen of White Dorper lambs for sale in the auction, making $350/head average.
Pens offered by Dubbo commercial producers Ben O’Brien and Ross Pedrana made $325/head average and $360/average respectively while Cumnock local Glynn Bruce’s Poll Dorsets made an average of $350/head.
A total of 41 bidders registered with 27 charities nominated to benefit from the auction.
Prime Lamb All-Breeds Hoof and Hook Competition committee member Terry Mitchell said the committee was overwhelmed with the amazing support shown in the auction.
“Next year we hope to include some more affordable lambs so we can get even more people involved in the auction,” he said.