This week the team at Elders Albany facilitated the sixth annual Ray Norman Memorial Breeder Sale, raising vital funds for a community health service.
L-R Auctioneer Wayne Mitchell and the Elders team on the rail at Mount Barker Saleyards selling cattle to raise money for Albany Hospice.
The Ray Norman Memorial Breeder Sale is held in December each year by Elders Albany, in remembrance of Ray Norman, a well-known Elders employee who became unwell shortly after retirement.
Over the last five years of the sale, the branch has raised over $150,000 for the Albany Hospice, and now $23,400 can be added to that tally.
Wayne Mitchell, Elders Albany livestock agent and the sale auctioneer, explained that Ray was a man loved by all, and the branch is delighted to bring this event to the community in his honour.
“Ray was a long time Elders man who worked at various locations across WA, and was the kind of man who you were hard pressed to find any who didn't either like or respect him in whatever he did,” Wayne said.
“We desperately wanted to recognise Ray, so the breeder sale has become the Ray Norman Memorial Breeder Sale.
“We also wanted to donate to a charity as part of this sale, and we left that decision to Ray’s family. Wendy, Ray’s wife, wanted it to be the Albany Hospice and I think we can all agree that was a wonderful decision.”
Albany Hospice worker Jeanann explained the organisation is incredibly grateful for Elders’ support.
“On behalf of Albany Hospice, I would like to say how really grateful we are that we have such a good relationship with Elders, and that they are so good to us,” she said.
“Because we are a community hospice, we need funds to help fill the gap.”
The sale team works with generous vendors who donate females which are sold first in the sale, the proceeds from which go directly to the hospice. One anonymous vendor has supplied 10 unjoined heifers every year since the sale’s inception.
Some of the cattle auctioned at the Ray Norman Memorial Sale.
Wayne said the line up this year was outstanding.
“This year once again we offered a very good line up of local breeding females,” he said.
“These animals will certainly hold their own in breeding programs wherever they go for their new owners.”
Overall 718 heifers, cows and cow calf units were offered to average $1,110.52 to a top of $1,950 for a line of Angus cows.
The kind donations of cattle raised $23,400 for the Albany Hospice with an Angus heifer selling to a top of $2,000.00.
Heifers at the sale averaged $1,300.00, second calvers averaged $1,470.00 and mixed aged calvers averaged $1,185.00.
The branch also compete in the annual Albany Spinathon, and have raised over $10,000 from the 2022 and 2023 events, which has also been donated to the hospice.