Leenala Newsletter Welcome July 2017 Welcome to our 2017 newsletter; our last, as this year marks the end of 59 years of Poll Dorset breeding for our family. It is certainly with mixed feelings and emotion that we put this together. While we have no regrets whatsoever about our decision to disperse the Leenala stud as it has been done at the right time and for the right reasons, we have had a lot of nostalgic moments during the past year. These included our last lambing, our last weaning, our last scanning, our last show entries, our last stud ram selections, and most recently our last selection process for our Hamilton Sheepvention and Adelaide Royal show teams. What lies ahead are our last showings at these two major shows that have been important to us over the years in getting wider exposure for our sheep and importantly allowing us the opportunity to compare our standard against other top breeders. Without question, the greatest gain from that experience has been all the wonderful friendships we have made with fellow breeders and our clients. What we will not have in this newsletter that we have featured in our past newsletters is a rundown of our current and future mating plans, for the first stage dispersal last November put that responsibility in the hands of 36 bidders who purchased our mature breeding ewes. Reports and photos from both our sales last year are included in this newsletter. This was the auctioning of one of the very last pens of ewes at our 1st stage dispersal last November. Final Sales Schedule 2017 - Naracoorte Showgrounds Monday October 9th Final Stage ewe dispersal (2016 drops) 130 ewes - 11am Annual ram sale (in conjunction with Wrattenbullie) 125 rams - 1:30pm Alan & Lyn Schinckel, Leenala Poll Dorsets Box 1020, Naracoorte, SA 5271 Ph: 08 8764 2156 Fax: 08 8764 2083 Mob: 0428 838 680 Email: leenala@schinckel.net Website: www.leenalapolldorsets.com.au
Sale teams & Show teams Call it withdrawal symptoms if you like and label us suckers for punishment if you must, but in our final showing season we have decided to show a small team of ewes along with our normal run of prospective stud rams! We feel the quality of the sheep is exceptionally good, due to the better seasons during their lifetime, plus less competition for available paddock feed with the mature ewes having being sold. They are certainly worth the trip and if we are going to have a nostalgic last show season, we thought it might as well be with full commitment. Taken prior to shearing, these two photos show our tops of the 2016 drop in rams and ewes. 2016 drop rams 2016 drop ewes The sires of our final stage dispersal rams and ewes include two top homebred rams, Leenala 140049 and 150043. Bruan 140081 and the two Hillcroft Farms rams, 120028 and 130497 also feature very prominently. The genetic breeding combinations behind this year s sale stock are the equal of any we have ever produced. We are proud of them and are pleased to be able to say with confidence that we are going out on top and are giving other breeders an opportunity to purchase stock as good or better than any we have ever bred. Charity support Over the past four years we have donated the proceeds of our top priced flock rams to a chosen charity as a way of giving something back to the community that has supported us and thousands of others. Beneficiaries have included the Cancer Council and Royal Flying Doctor Service. Last year we decided to ensure the money stayed locally, so the funds raised were donated to our local Naracoorte/Lucindale Community Care Network (NLCCN). This group assists local families in need in a variety of ways, including emergency food packages, Foodland vouchers for essentials and emergency housing. Lyn Schinckel presents the Leenala donation from their ram sale proceeds to Erika Vickery, Chair of NLCCN. Client feedback It is always nice to hear positive feedback from our clients. We have always welcomed feedback and actively sought it whether positive or negative. If something has gone wrong we have always wanted to be the first to know, not the last. That is not to hide such feedback, but rather so we can do something to fix the problem. At the very least we can learn something to ensure there is less chance of it happening again. However we were very pleased to receive these comments from Tina Mowbray. Thank you for breeding such wonderful rams. James has won the lottery; the genetics and Lucerne have paid off. Here is my brag because I do the catalogue. The top 2 lambs grossed $260.80 dressing out at over 34kg. They were 10 month old and the mob averaged $189.60. The comments from the agent: They are bloody long, where did you get the rams? Cheers, Tina.
Every year a strong contingent of producers from the Mt Gambier region regularly purchase our rams through SAL agent, Dean Hampel, including Ken Atkin. Last year Ken reported he sold over 50% of his lambs in his first sale draft. These were sired by Leenala rams over 1st cross ewes and at 5 months of age they averaged 29.9 kg carcase weight. Ken (left) is pictured after our 2007 sale with our late and highly valued SAL Naracoorte agent, Darcy Nolan, Dean Hampel & Wally Jenkin. In the last 10 years alone, both Ken & Wally have purchased over 70 rams each at the ram sale. The following reports appeared in various publications following our 1st stage ewe dispersal and our annual ram sale. Leenala rewarded for quality A time comes in everyone s journey on life s highway to change lanes and for Alan and Lyn Schinckel, the first stage of that change came last Thursday (3rd November). They held the 1st stage dispersal of their long established Leenala Poll Dorset stud at the Naracoorte Showgrounds with the offering of 294 mixed age ewes, producing a very good and rewarding result, topping at $2700 and averaging $708 in a 93% clearance. 36 registered bidders attended from four states, but considering Leenala s sale and show record in the last few years in particular, there was very good reason to predict an even stronger show of support than eventuated. The first pen of ewes being offered at the Leenala 1st stage dispersal sale at Naracooorte. As good as the sale was overall, that result masked the fluctuations within it. 62 ewes, making up 23% of the ewes sold, cleared in excess of $1000 and up to a top of $2700 with 15 bidders prepared to go to these levels. However at the other end of the scale, 50% sold for just $500 or less; outstanding value considering the quality throughout was very even. In ram sales this year, it has been the middle ground strength that has pushed averages up, but in this sale only 27% of the ewes sold from $550 to $950. If the number of prospective buyers who indicated their intention to attend had carried through on their statements, it would have ensured a much stronger middle ground and overall result, more in line with the current buoyancy of the lamb industry. We presented the ewes in good condition, yet we were very conscious to not get them overfat, thus ensuring they would go ahead and breed well for their purchasers, just as they have done so for us, Alan Schinckel said. We are pleased with the overall outcome and were delighted to see the number of fellow stud breeders who showed their respects by attending and bidding on select ewes, he added. There were very good ewes lotted right through the catalogue and the astute bidders found them. Phil and Aaron Clothier, Woolumbool stud, Lucindale did due diligence on their pre-sale research and went home with the three ewes of their choice at an $1867 average. These included Leenala 150289Tw that sold for the sale s $2700 top price. Sired by Hillcroft Farms 120028, its figures included +15.2 for post weaning weight, -0.8 for fat, 2.0 for muscle and a C+ index of 203.6.
Pictured with the $2700 top priced ewe at the stage one dispersal sale for the Leenala Poll Dorset stud at Naracoorte are purchasers Phil and Aaron Clothier, Woolumbool stud, Lucindale and vendors Alan and Lyn Schinckel, Naracoorte. We were looking for balanced sheep with high and balanced performance figures right through, including good worm resistance (Fec) and lamb eating quality (LEQ). The three ewes we purchased were the three best in the catalogue for their LEQ EBV, Phil Clothier said. Underbidder on the top ewe was Simon Beattie, Derrynock stud, Trentham, Vic but he was successful earlier in purchasing L150139, with very similar figures and pedigree, for the sale s second top price of $2400. Alastair Day, Allendale stud, Bordertown provided very strong bidding throughout on select ewes, purchasing 15 at a $1077 average. They included six over $1000 and three at $2100, the sale s equal third top price. Ian and Pam Kyle, Ashley Park stud, Bairnsdale, Vic paid to $2000 in successfully bidding on six top ewes, averaging $925 to be another prominent top end buyer. In all large sales, volume buyers are the key to its success. There were 11 buyers who purchased 10 or more ewes in this sale, with three of these tallying over 20 ewes. Leading the way with 26 ewes was John Oswald, Wudinna, accompanied by his Landmark agent Bill Sargent. They bid up to $1200 and averaged $800, targeting the younger ewe drops. Nineteen of their purchases came from the 2015 drops, and the balance, with one exception, came from the 2014 drops. The one exception was L120442; purchased for an extreme value $900. She was the dam of $10,000 and $7000 twin rams sold in the Leenala ram sale just a few weeks before. Joe Scott, Valley Vista Park stud, Coolac, NSW was the next biggest volume buyer with 24 ewes. His Landmark Echuca agent, Lachie Collins bid on his behalf, paying to $1600 and averaging $792. He was after high indexing ewes on Lambplan, also with the objective of getting a good benchmark for his own performance recording program. Prominent participants in the Leenala Poll Dorset sale were Landmark Wudinna agent Bill Sargent and his client John Oswald (26 ewes), Alastair Day, Allendale stud, Bordertown (15 ewes to $2100 and ave $1077), vendor Alan Schinckel, and auctioneers Miles Pfitzner & Mat McDonald. The Tischler family, Tarraleah stud, Edenhope, Vic was the other buyer of 20 or more ewes, operating in the good value end of the sale. Successful at purchasing one ewe for just $500 in the very first pen of young ewes offered, they saw little need to go much higher, eventually picking up 22 ewes to a top of 600, and at an outstanding average of $489. Haydn Lines was not a long way behind, picking up 18 quality ewes for his new Benealla Poll Dorset stud venture at Keith, paying to $950, but also getting great value at an average of just $511. Simon Doherty, Thunder Hill Estate, Macclesfield in the Yarra Valley was a strong bidder in top end prices and volume buying, picking up 16 ewes to a top of $1900 and averaging $700 for his newly established Thunder Hill Poll Dorset stud. Simon s buying best demonstrated the variation in the sale; four select young 2015 drop ewes averaging $1600, yet the other 12 from the 2014 and 2013 drops were secured at just $400 each. I was blown away by the calibre of the ewes available. Their quality and structural integrity was superb and were a real credit to Alan & Lyn Schinckel. If I had a truck at this sale, I would have filled it! Ewes are 50% of the DNA of any sheep you breed, so why skimp on anything? We got a really good start with some Derrynock stock at their earlier sale and Simon Beattie gave us great advice and assistance with our selections here. It is great to be able to deal with such good people, and the quality I was able to purchase will give us a real leg up for our future, Simon Doherty said. Western Australian buying support was significant with three buyers picking up a combined 27 ewes. Chris Squiers, Shirlee Downs stud, Quairading went to the highest price of the three, purchasing six select ewes to the equal third top price of $2100 and averaged $1425. Laurie Fairclough, Stockdale stud, York was also strong, selecting 15 top ewes, paying to $1700, yet was able to bring his buying average back to $920 with some bargain buying lots later in the sale.
At the sale s conclusion Alan Schinckel said, We were going into unknown territory with a dispersal sale, but we d like to thank all the buyers very much. We really appreciate your support. This is stage one down, but we will have more young rams and ewes next year before we finally close the book on 58 years of breeding Poll Dorsets. Western Australian buying support was strong at the Leenala sale and Lyn Schinckel (2nd right) is pictured with Chris Squiers, Quairading (six ewes ave $1425), Laurie Fairclough, York (14 ewes ave $920) and Michael O Neill, Elders Northam (seven ewes for the Lawrence family at a $650 ave). Rounding out the WA buying was Elders agent Michael O Neill who purchased seven ewes on behalf of AJ & CM Lawrence, Canternatting stud, Northam. He paid to $900 and averaged $650. Simon and Simone Cotter, Beeac, Vic were also prominent volume buyers at value, selecting 13 quality ewes to $600 and at an average of just $458, again emphasising the value that existed in the sale. Other prominent buyers included RA & JM Boord, through PPH & S Naracoorte (11 ewes); ARJ & KR Lucas, through SAL Naracoorte (10 ewes); NL Geue, Kingston (10 ewes); the Kelly family, Zacman Poll Dorsets, Binnum (four top ewes ave $1300); Brett Shepherd, Mullinger Park, Kybybolite (five ewes ave $1030); Co-ram sale vendors, the Davies family, Wrattenbullie stud, Naracoorte (five ewes ave $920); Betty & Ken Walker, Kenlorne stud, Beachport, (eight ewes); Billy McInness & Lacey Elliot, Swan Hill, Vic (eight ewes); and Cameron Grundy, Naracoorte (eight ewes). In welcoming everyone who attended the sale, Lyn Schinckel made mention of the many friendships they had made over their journey with special mention of the assistance they had received over many years from Leigh Allan, Garry Rodda, the Davies family, their late SAL agent Darcy Nolan and now his replacement Mat MacDonald for the last couple of years. Leenala principals Alan & Lyn Schinckel at the start of their first stage dispersal sale. Sale summary 2015 drops: 117 of 133 ewes sold to $2700 and averaged $910 2104 drops: 65 of 69 ewes sold to $2100 and averaged $704 2013 drops: 50 of 50 ewes sold to $1100 and averaged $504 2012 to 2010 drops: 42 of 42 ewes sold to $900 and averaged $394 Overall: 274 of 294 ewes sold to $2700 and averaged $708 Agents: Southern Australian Livestock Auctioneers: Miles Pfitzner (guest) and Mat MacDonald Simon Doherty, Macclesfield, Vic and SAL agents loading the 16 ewes he purchased at the dispersal. Following the sale are Alastair Day, Bordertown and Haydn Lines, Keith. Both were volume buyers with 15 and 18 ewes respectively. Ripper Leenala sale Another ripper ram sale is the simplest description for Monday s (10th Oct) combined Leenala and Wrattenbullie Poll Dorset ram sale at the Naracoorte Showgrounds. The Schinckel and Davies families penned another excellent quality line-up of 201 Poll Dorset rams for buyer competition at a time when there is unprecedented confidence in the meat sheep industry and producers are basking in one of the best seasons in the south east for many years.
The biggest crowd ever seen at this sale gathered and 60 registrations gave every indication competition would be strong, which certainly proved to be the case. In a total clearance, all 201 rams sold very quickly to a top of $10,000 and averaged $1648. This was 35% up on the very good result in 2015 and over 50% up on 2014 sale, both those years being affected by very poor seasonal spring weather cut-outs. Earlier in the year the Schinckel family had made the decision to disperse their long standing stud; thus this was their second last ram sale. Whether that was a catalyst towards getting more fellow stud breeders to attend and bid on their stud ram offering is unknown, but there was a dramatically improved response. In a 291% improvement on 2015, 11 sold as studs to the overall sale top of $10,000 and averaged $5682, a result probably matched by only one other sale in their long stud breeding history. Landmark Naracoorte s David Heinrich bid the top price of $10,000 on behalf of repeat clients the Koch family, Tallageira Pastoral, Naracoorte. This was for Leenala 150072Tw, sired by Ivadene 100056. With the best temperament you could ever wish for in a ram, it was awarded champion at this year s Hamilton Sheepvention. Equally important, it also excelled in performance measured classes being first in the export pair, and later being in the interbreed winning terminal lamb production pair class at Adelaide Royal. It had great balanced Lambplan figures including 16.4 for post weaning weight, +1.1 for eye muscle, -26 for worm egg count and an export trade dollar index of 112.9. Two rams sold at the $8000 second top price. Leenala 150097 by Majardah 133770 was picked up by the McInness Family Trust, buying through PPH & S Naracoorte s Robin Steen. Then Leenala 15007Tw, also by the Ivadene sire and successful in the performance and measured trade and export weight classes in Adelaide was purchased by Lachlan and Robert Hart, Glen Devon stud, Two Wells, buying though Elders Roseworthy. Lachlan and Rob Hart, Glen Devon stud, Two Wells purchased this Leenala ram with impressive carcase traits for the equal second top price of $8000. They are with Elders auctioneer Tom Dennis and Lyn Schinckel, Leenala. Cameron Grundy, Grundy Pastoral Co and buying through SAL Naracoorte paid $5000 for L150355Tw, as did WT Harvey & Co through MWJ Mt Gambier for L150364Tw, while Kalamanta Contracting, through Landmark Mortlake, Vic paid the third top of $6500 for L150028 to round out the sales for $5000 or better. Leenala s Alan Schinckel (right) is with Emily and Scott Davidson, Morton stud, Lucindale and the ram they purchased for $4500. Alan and Lyn Schinckel (right) hold Leenala 150072Tw, this year s Hamilton Sheepvention Champion that sold for the sale s $10,000 top price to Tallageira Pastoral, Naracoorte. Also pictured are sale agents representatives Mat MacDonald (SAL) and Sue Cother (Elders). The flock ram drafts were just marginally below last year s bloom, primarily due to the colder and wetter winter / spring but still came under the description of outstanding quality and presentation. Both studs produce similar type rams and that is why this sale has worked so well for the vendors and buyers for so long. They have the frame, size, length, muscling and maturity pattern that allows market flexibility for clients with their lambs.
From a management perspective they are also clean pointed with good neck extension and smooth shoulders. The regular clients love them, but this year a few were caught out by the increased and strong competition right through and went home with fewer rams than planned. The sale started very strongly in the first few pens, selling to a top of $2200 (x2) for Leenala. RA & JM Boord, through PPH & S Naracoorte and James Mowbray through Landmark Millicent paid the $2200 top while purchasing two rams each. James Russell, GE Russell Pastoral Co through LMB Linke, Hamilton was certainly the standout top end buyer, selecting 10 rams from both vendors drafts, paying to $2100 and averaging $1800. Support from clients operating through the SAL Mt Gambier branch was again very important in producing the overall result with 24 rams going to seven clients through agents Dean Hampel and Dave Fraser. Wally Jenkin, Nayook South was present and the strongest contributor amongst them with seven rams from $1300 to $1600. This price range was where most buyers were prepared to be pushed to in their bidding with only 66 rams, or 35% selling outside of that tight band. By extending that range by $1000 each way, only 20% fell outside of it, a majority of these being above $1600. Only three rams in the entire catalogue made less than $1000. Clearly many in the gallery were hanging back waiting for the price to come back below these levels so they could average their buying out, but they suddenly realised that wasn t going to happen. They either missed out on their numbers, or jumped in and took the whole pen of three rams. Eight of the nine pens that went this way went in quick succession from about two thirds of the way through the sale. Volume buying was dominated by half a dozen buying accounts including James Russell. JE Shepherd & Co, also through PPH & S Naracoorte purchased 14 rams from both vendors drafts, paying to $1500 and averaging $1379. Combined Leenala Wrattenbullie sale vendors, Brad and Rod Davies (2nd and 3rd left) and Alan Schinckel (right) are pictured with the SAL Mt Gambier agents, who collectively purchased 24 rams from the sale, and two of their clients. They are Wally Jenkin, Nayook South (seven rams), SAL s Dave Fraser, Neil Shepherd (one ram) and SAL s Dean Hampel. NW & EE Teate, through Landmark Naracoorte was a late starter, purchasing their first and cheapest ram ($1000) at lot 135, but then quickly added another 12 to $1300 and averaged $1231. Leigh Allan purchased selectively for AC Archibald through Elders Mortlake, being successful on 11 rams in the $1200 to $1400 range and averaging $1245. Leenala s Lyn Schinckel is pictured with Leigh Allan, Naracoorte and James Taylor, Glenthompson. Leigh Allan purchased 11 rams for AC Archibald s Bundoran property and employee James has them loaded for the trip to their new home. Morambro Pastoral through PPH & S Naracoorte rounded out the double figured volume buyers, also taking 11 rams from $1000 to $1400 and at a $1282 average. Eight other buyers successfully bid on six or seven rams, while 34 individual buyers were successful in purchasing flock rams. Sale Summary Stud Rams Offered and sold 11 to $10,000 Average $5682 Flock Rams Offered and sold 99 to $2200 Average $1435 Agents: Elders and South Australian Livestock Auctioneers: Tom Dennis (Elders) & Mat MacDonald (SAL) Vale: Steve DiGiorgio It is with much sadness that we note the passing on May 22nd of a long term and much valued client, Steve DiGiorgio from Lucindale. Steve supported several different studs in buying Poll Dorset rams for his family s prime lamb enterprise and we are proud to say Leenala was one of them. He knew quality stock and he was prepared to pay good value for them. Our sincere condolences are extended to Rita and the wider DiGiorgio family. Our last sale will be different in many ways, but especially so for not having Steve there. It will leave a vacancy in the stands and our hearts.
Thanks Finally in our last newsletter we would sincerely like to thank everyone who has supported us in any way over our incredibly enjoyable journey in breeding Leenala Poll Dorsets. However, special thanks must go in particular, to a few very deserving people. To stock agents Leigh Allan, Darcy Nolan and Dean Hampel, and more recently Mat MacDonald, thank you for your expertise and assistance. Also special thanks to the Davies family (Rod, Gayle, Brad, Angela and Sally and their families) for the wonderful relationship we have had as co-vendors and friends over the past 36 years, as together we have consistently strived to put forward a strong selection of quality rams for the industry. The support from you, our clients might indicate we have done a half reasonable job of that. We are proud of what we have been able to contribute to the Poll Dorset breed and the prime lamb industry in general, so thank you all for allowing us that journey. Consistent Commercial Relevance More Profitable More Often MN3V Leenala Poll Dorsets Last Chance! The decisions we end up regretting are about the opportunities we didn t take. Last stage dispersal sale combined with last annual ram sale Monday October 9th 130 2016 drop ewes 125 2016 drop rams Ewes 11am - Rams 1:30pm Check for details - all sale ewes will be listed on website Enquiries always welcome Contact: Alan & Lyn Schinckel Ph: (08) 8764 2156 Mob: 0428 838 680 Email: leenala@schinckel.net www.leenalapolldorsets.com.au