NEWS

2008 National Sale
National Sale 9-9-08

Back Creek in partnership with Castlebar White Dorpers were extremely happy to purchase
Bellevue 868.  A fully imported embryo from Namibia, we have watched this ram from the age of about 4 months.  He was the outstanding ram in his group when we first saw him and in the subsequent times we saw him, 868 was still the leader of the group.  A 100 % clean shedder with magnificent muscle, masculinity, length, balance and confirmation.  We believe he will breed well muscled clean rams and feminine, well balanced ewes.  Prior to purchasing 868 we were able to lease him for an ET & AI program in May 2008 and will have rams available for sale by him in October 2009.

National White Dorper Show Dubbo 26-4-08

Back Creek had a very successful National coming away with 2 broad ribbons, 1 first, 3 seconds and 2 thirds.  All these ribbons except one came in the Junior classes which were extremely strong with numbers up to 35 in a class.
Reserve Junior Champion Ram, Back Creek 7204 by African 4125 out of an Edson 379 ewe was only beaten by a fully imported embryo bred ram from South Africa who went on to be  the White Dorper Supreme Exhibit.
Reserve Junior Champion Ewe was Back Creek 6327 by Red Rock Z02 out of an Edson 379 ewe, who again was only beaten by a fully imported embryo bred ewe from Namibia who went on to be Grand Champion White Dorper Ewe.

2007 sale report
The Land 20.9.07, Amy Lawson

Rams to $1400

This years Back Creek White Dorper Rams and ewes presented as muscle powerhouses, and with nationally-recognised genetics behind them, buyers were impressed with their purchases.

Buying at the Cannington family's second annual
on property sale last Friday at “Glenall”, east of Narrabri, represented strong value for money
with 53 nine-to 13-month-old rams selling to a top of $1400 and average of $689, for a 59 per cent clearance.

Repeat client, Chris Stanmore, “Eurella”,
Ivanhoe, bought the sale's top-priced ram,
the 11 ½ -month-old 88Kg, Back Creek B6178, which was by the Supreme White Dorper Exhibit at last year's Dubbo National Show, Edson 379 (ET).
The top-priced ram was from Back Creek 1005 W4345, and figures scanned on August 29 stated he had 6mm of fat, an eye muscle depth (EMD) of 45mm and scrotal circumstances of 37 centimetres.
Mr Stanmore was the sale's volume buyer, taking home 10 rams for an average of $860.
He was one of the State's first commercial operators to run Dorpers when the embargo for importing genetics was lifted in 1998.
The Dorpers are run in conjunction with Mr Stanmore's Santa Gertrudis cattle breeding operation, producing for the domestic market, and he also trades in mixed cattle.

He now runs 3000 third and fourth cross Dorpers, after succumbing to two drought-induced rounds of destocking since 1998, and sells 18kg to 24kg (carcass weight) lambs over the hooks.
Dominic Makim and family, “Wirradale”, Barrabra, bought eight rams for a top of $900 and average of $600.
Richard and Judy Makim, “Moredun”, Ben Lomond, bought five rams for an average of $760, and a top of $1200 for and 89.5kg son of Edson 379 (ET), which featured a scrotal circumference of 39cm.

Clive Hasselmann, “Waineka”, Delungra, bought four rams for a top of $1000 and average of $725.
There was plenty of interest in the Back Creek females, with 17 scanned in lamb ewes selling to a top of $800 and average of $576, for an 89pc clearance.
Sam Matchett, “Wynola”, Garah, bought six females for a top of $800 and average of $617.

Back Creek White Dorper stud principals, Will and Linda Cannington, were happy with the result, and Mr Cannington said he noticed buyers were focused on rams with good shedding ability and muscle content.“Considering the season and lack of money around, I was very happy”, he said.
The selling agent was Landmark Barraba and the auctioneer was Landmark stud stock representative, Andrew Wishart, Cootamundra.

Success for Back Creek at Dubbo National Sheep Show.
(Extract from ‘Big Al is top Dorper', The Land May 24/07)

Pictured again as Junior Champion, Back Creek B6327 by Red Rock Z02 out of a Edson 379 daughter.

...The judge and president of the South African Dorper Breeders Society (Gideon Vivier)…While in the White Dorpers, the six month old Junior Champion Ewe from the Cannington family's Back Creek Stud at Narrabri was awarded supreme White Dorper exhibit.

The ewe was by Redrock 202, a ram purchased by the Canningtons from the Edson family, South Australia, for $13,000 last year, and a daughter of last years Supreme Exhibit, Edson 379.

….The Champion ewe from Back Creek was the
standout in Mr Viviers mind who described it as the best quality and nearest to breed standard in the whole show. “She would fit into any Dorper championship in South Africa ” he said.

2006 Sale report

White Dorper rams sold to a $10 000 high, and 49 averaged $1400 at the Back Creek's inaugural on-property sale, held on Friday.

Vendors, Will and Linda Cannington, had made the most of three year old sire, Edson 379, which they bought at the breed's national sale in Dubbo two years ago.

Mr Cannington said their own stud, located east of Narrabri was “full up with his genetics”, but the proven sire attracted the top money from Gary Waters, Darling Downs stud, Oman-Ama, near Texas Queensland.

The rest of the offering were yearling rams, with an average weight of 74 Kilograms, fat depth of five millimetres, eye muscle depth of 40 millimetres and a scrotal circumference of 33 centimetres.

Chris Stanmore, Eurella station, Ivanhoe, who first started using the breed in the late 1990's, paid and average of $1175 for his eight, for use over Merino and White Dorper cross ewes.

Richard and Judy Makim, Mordun station, Glen Innes, averaged $1250 for six.

Steve Cresswell, Annnalara station, Willcannia, bought five to a top of $2200 for a ram to join his stud operation, and four to join to commercial ewes, averaging $1100 overall.

Bruce Amos, “Tantarranna”, Moree, selected four, paying a top of $1000. New breeder Angus Wicks, “ Lynwood ” Tara, Queensland, averaged $1200 for four, to replace White Suffolk rams used as terminal sires.

Other buyers hailed from Dalby and Goondiwindi, Qld, Barraba, Delungra, Dungog, Coolah and Narribri.

The sale was conducted by Landmark, Barraba with auctioneer, Andrew Wishart.

Bill Kirkby with Supreme Exhibit at Dubbo National Show 2006

Show Success

Local White Dorpers make their mark in national competitions.

Local White Dorper breeders, Will and Lindy Cannington, of Back Creek White Dorpers ‘cleaned up' at the Dubbo show on the weekend, winning major awards.

The show, which for Dorpers and White Dorpers, is considered the national show, drew about 120 White Dorpers in competition.

Breeders came from as far away as Echuca, Cobar, Gravesend, Mudgee and Wellington to exhibit. Back Creek White Dorpers won three firsts, four seconds and one third and two highly commended places. They then won Reserve champion Junior Ewe and Senior Champion Ram. The Ram went on to become Supreme Exhibit in White Dorpers.

Judge, Dolf Lategon, a Dorper breeder from South Africa said the top 50 per cent of the animals at the show would be very competitive at the South African National Championships, which were held in March.

Will and Lindy's son, Sam, was also a winner at Dubbo, taking out the Junior Parader's award. Sam, aged six, was the second youngest to take part in the competition…..

2005 National sale

(Bill Kirkby, Linda & Will Cannington, and buyers Cathy Lee, manager, and Keith Haack stud principal of Haco Dorper and White Dorper studs in Lake Boga Victoria)

The Third national Dorper and White Dorper Sale set an Australian record auction price when a ram was sold for $14,500 showing the breed is on the crest of a popularity wave.

The 81kg ram with a 41 mm eye muscle measurement was offered by Will and Linda Cannington, Back Creek Stud, Narrabri, NSW.

The sale cleared 67 of the 75 stud rams offered for a $3403 average, compared with the previous years $2350, when 56 rams were sold. (Exert from the 2006 Australian Dorper and White Dorper annual magazine)