BY: LYNDA GRAY
PHOTOS: RACHEL GILLESPIE
The prices at the Rupert Red Deer sale were back on the previous year but Kiri Rupert was happy with the end result.
“It wasn’t the best sale, and we didn’t have high expectations due to Covid, but we had a total clearance, and everything hit our reserve prices so we’re happy with that.”
It was the fourth onfarm sale for Kiri, husband Josh, and Kiri’s parents Martin and Rikie, who run a velvet-focused operation near Geraldine. They livestreamed the auction on BIDr for the first time.
“I think it helped bump up the price and, in the future, I’d be keen to sell 100% online. It opened up the sale to others throughout the country and we’ve been able to watch in on other sales.”
The Ruperts’ top price for the 15 velvet sires was $21,000, and the price average $6733. Almost 70 yearling Red hinds and 39 two-year-old stags were also sold on the day.
PGG Wrightson comparable sales price averages up until mid-January were generally back: about $7400 compared with $10,100 in 2019/20.
