CAL-WEST SALE 2008 RECAP

Cal-West took on its 6th Annual Production sale this year on September 20, 2008. The partnership of Shadow Ridge Ranch of Fresno (Richard Oliveira and Sue Erickson), Sundance Kids of Stockton/Lodi (Walt & Chris and Louie & Heidi Schallberger) and Wildflower Meat Goats of Chowchilla (Ken & Shirley Thompson) offered 70 quality percentage, purebred and Fullblood does, and 8 Fullblood bucks. Also present at the sale were our volume buyers from 2006 and 2007, Butte Valley Boers (Brian & Alicia Noftz) and Leyland Farms (Robert Gonsalves) who each brought 2 very nice quality does to add to our sale. As the stock market plunged during the week, the price of hay and grain on the upswing, we were unsure of how prices would hold for the sale.

In honor of selling SRR1”Margarita” a National Class Winner, Margarita’s were offered at the sale for those to enjoy, as well as the punch version! All animals in the sale went home with happy buyers. The advertised National Class Winner SRR1 “Margarita” was the high selling doe purchased by Ed & Becky Borges of Moorpark, CA for $5,000.00 The high selling buck in the sale was SRR1 B76 for $1,400.00 sold to Cheyenne Dona of Suisun, CA. Ed & Becky Borges were the volume buyers of the day taking home 13 animals, and will be our guest consigners to the sale next year. This sales overall average this year was $748. The buck average was $800 and the does averaged $742.

Another highlight in the sale was awarding the 2008 Cal-West Boer Connection Scholarship to Leslee Kehn of Clovis, CA. We received eight very strong applicants, that showed academic and leadership qualities, commitment to the meat goat industry and to their communities. The scholarship was set up on a point system and all three ranches graded out the scholarships individually, and then total point scores were added together. The applicant receiving the highest overall point total became our 2008 Scholarship Winner. We congratulate, Leslee on her on winning the first Cal-West Boer Connection Scholarship.

Dr. Andrea Mongini gave a presentation on Back to Basic’s, which was well received, and many look forward to her insights in the California industry.

We want to thank of all of those who attended our sale this year, and a special thanks to all who bid and purchased goats in our sale.

Thank you very much,