Sale marks end of era for Bankhead Dorset Down Stud

A good crowd turned up to farewell Cust couple Colin and Liz Smith at the dispersal sale at Bankhead Stud. Photo / Tim Cronshaw

A Cust couple has exited sheep breeding on good terms after a full clearance at a dispersal sale.

The last blow of the auction hammer signalled the end of Colin and Liz Smith's Bankhead Dorset Down Stud.

Colin And Liz Smith's Dorset Downs go under the hammer in a dispersal sale, spelling the end of their Bankhead Stud. Photo / Tim Cronshaw

Five ewe lambs that didn't draw a bid were snapped up straight away, for a clean sweep of the catalogue.

Lot 99 topped the sale at $1800 with the 2016 ewe going to Alistar and Christine Busch from Hinds, while Allan Bain, from Otago, bought lot 84 - Bankhead 74/17 and Bankhead 135/17, both for $1600.

Photo / Tim Cronshaw

The 116 ewes averaged $625 and 37 hoggets $356.

Colin Smith said his 74-year-old body was telling him it was time to give up and he was at peace with seeing the 1964-registered stud - Flock 46 - come to an end.

Photo / Tim Cronshaw

He said it was good to go out on a good note with sheepmeat returns on a high.

"Yeah for sure [it's bitter-sweet]. We are just so amazed they all went in a full clearance."

Photo / Tim Cronshaw

A surprise moment for him was being made a life member of the Dorset Down Society in a small presentation after the sale.

Colin said he would be staying in touch with breed members.

Photo / Tim Cronshaw

"That's the beauty of the Dorset Down breeders. They are pretty much down-to-earth and the tours are something else. Everyone gets on and if you do well at an A&P show everyone's pleased for you."

Liz said the sale was an emotional time for them.

Dorset Down breeder Colin Smith, from Cust, is glad the dispersal sale for his stud went out on a good note. Photo / Tim Cronshaw

"When you work together for an event and it's all over it is an emotional thing, but [it was] also good to see quite a few breeders there."

She said one of the more pleasing aspects was that some of the Dorset Downs were bought by Colin's nephew's nephew near Oxford and both he and a Waikari buyer plan to start new studs.

Photo / Tim Cronshaw

"They are young guys and it's good to get the young fellas started up."

Strictly speaking, it's not the end for the Bankhead Stud as more than 60 ram lambs will be sold at The Gums ram sale at Cheviot in the first week of December.