Our History
The Combined Independent Agents Association (CIAA) grew from a concept of Tom Wardle’s. Tom Wardle was one of the principals of Wardle & Butterfield based at Crystal Brook.
Tom was the one to issue invitations to people who found themselves displaced by either age or other circumstances from other companies and who had preceded to establish their own livestock agencies in their respective areas.
Principals of each company began to meet in early 1992.
Photo:
The Combined Independent Agents Association (CIAA) grew from a concept of Tom Wardle’s. Tom Wardle was one of the principals of Wardle & Butterfield based at Crystal Brook.
Tom was the one to issue invitations to people who found themselves displaced by either age or other circumstances from other companies and who had preceded to establish their own livestock agencies in their respective areas.
Principals of each company began to meet in early 1992.
Photo:
The Combined Independent Agents Association (CIAA) grew from a concept of Tom Wardle’s. Tom Wardle was one of the principals of Wardle & Butterfield based at Crystal Brook.
Tom was the one to issue invitations to people who found themselves displaced by either age or other circumstances from other companies and who had preceded to establish their own livestock agencies in their respective areas.
Principals of each company began to meet in early 1992.
Photo:
July 1st 1992
Tom’s concept became a reality on July 1st 1992.
There were 13 companies or individuals represented in the group. Members covering an area from Coonalpyn in the Southeast to Wudinna on the West Coast and take in Kangaroo Island as well.
1992
The 4 Yorke Peninsula members of the C.I.A.A were John Williams of Warmington Bros. Livestock, Kadina, Garry Willson of Willson Livestock, Paskeville, Geoff Smith of Geoff Smith Livestock Agencies, Bute and Lawrie Poole of Poole’s Stock and Land, Port Victoria.
Their combined involvement with livestock marketing totalled more than 100 years.
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1992
The 4 Yorke Peninsula members of the C.I.A.A were John Williams of Warmington Bros. Livestock, Kadina, Garry Willson of Willson Livestock, Paskeville, Geoff Smith of Geoff Smith Livestock Agencies, Bute and Lawrie Poole of Poole’s Stock and Land, Port Victoria.
Their combined involvement with livestock marketing totalled more than 100 years.
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Head office for CIAA was based at Gepps Cross within the SAMCOR area and the Gepps Cross office manager was Ms Sue Walsh.
Peter Propsting was the renowned Calf and Lamb auctioneer at Gepps Cross and Bob Walsh, who was another respected livestock industry figure, was the head stockman.
The new associations historic first day of operation at Gepps Cross was on July the 6th, when the cattle were sold and then July the 7th when the sheep, lambs and pigs were featured.
Dennis Goodes took the honours of buying the first cattle and first pen of lambs.
Photo:
Head office for CIAA was based at Gepps Cross within the SAMCOR area and the Gepps Cross office manager was Ms Sue Walsh.
Peter Propsting was the renowned Calf and Lamb auctioneer at Gepps Cross and Bob Walsh, who was another respected livestock industry figure, was the head stockman.
The new associations historic first day of operation at Gepps Cross was on July the 6th, when the cattle were sold and then July the 7th when the sheep, lambs and pigs were featured.
Dennis Goodes took the honours of buying the first cattle and first pen of lambs.
Photo:
Wednesday 7th October
The C.I.A.A held its first Off-Shears sale in the ‘Werocata’ property saleyards on Wednesday the 7th of October.
This was the first Off-Shears sale held by any independent agent in the lower north for many years.
Auctioneer, Peter Propsting, commenced the sale on a line of February shorn May/June 1991 Drop Wethers. These were purchased by Wardle & Butterfield of Crystal Brook.
7000 Sheep & Lambs and 20 Pol Dorset rams were at the market.
Photo:
Tom Wardle the chairman of the C.I.A.A, Doug Hutton a local representative, Peter Propsting CIAAs auctioneer & Jeff Emms CIAAs secretary at the Off-Shears sale at Werocata.
Wednesday 7th October
The C.I.A.A held its first Off-Shears sale in the ‘Werocata’ property saleyards on Wednesday the 7th of October.
This was the first Off-Shears sale held by any independent agent in the lower north for many years.
Auctioneer, Peter Propsting, commenced the sale on a line of February shorn May/June 1991 Drop Wethers. These were purchased by Wardle & Butterfield of Crystal Brook.
7000 Sheep & Lambs and 20 Pol Dorset rams were at the market.
Photo:
Tom Wardle the chairman of the C.I.A.A, Doug Hutton a local representative, Peter Propsting CIAAs auctioneer & Jeff Emms CIAAs secretary at the Off-Shears sale at Werocata.
Tandoorah Feedlot had been operating for 5 years, with capacity of 750 head and run by brothers Tex and Andrew O’Brien and near neighbour Andrew Schuster.
Tandoorah Feedlot, Freeling, provided 1997s BankSA State Beef Carcase Competition supplemented champion, the highest scoring carcase of the contest with 91.9 points.
Tex O’Brien is still an asset to the agency today, as he continues his independent services.
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Tandoorah Feedlot had been operating for 5 years, with capacity of 750 head and run by brothers Tex and Andrew O’Brien and near neighbour Andrew Schuster.
Tandoorah Feedlot, Freeling, provided 1997s BankSA State Beef Carcase Competition supplemented champion, the highest scoring carcase of the contest with 91.9 points.
Tex O’Brien is still an asset to the agency today, as he continues his independent services.
Photo:
February 2017 – August 2017
The announcement of the C.I.A.A Crystal Brook Saleyards came after at least 12 months of preliminary work behind the scenes. Set to establish a new saleyard with the capacity of 10,000 head, a collaborative group including CIAA, Regional Development Minister Geoff Brock, PIRSA and local council representatives made this new saleyard complex possible. The project received support from Upper Spencer Gulf and Outback Futures Program providing a grant of $115,000, covering half of the facility’s construction.
It was Crystal Brook’s feedlot operators Andrew and Nick Greig who run Fairview Feedlot, which has up to 10,000 head of lambs for capacity, provided the land to be leased to have the yards. Located near the GrainFlow silos, allowing B-Double access, the Crystal Brook complex is in a ideal location for clients from the Eyre Peninsula, Broken Hill, NSW, Yorke Peninsula and the Murray Mallee.
Work on the site was set to begin April 2017, to be completed in August 2017 ready for the intentions of a sale in September. Able to benefit from this opportunity is more than 50 agents throughout SA and Broken Hill. It was expected to hold 6 to 8 lamb and sheep sales each year.
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Crystal Brook Saleyards.
February 2017 – August 2017
The announcement of the C.I.A.A Crystal Brook Saleyards came after at least 12 months of preliminary work behind the scenes. Set to establish a new saleyard with the capacity of 10,000 head, a collaborative group including CIAA, Regional Development Minister Geoff Brock, PIRSA and local council representatives made this new saleyard complex possible. The project received support from Upper Spencer Gulf and Outback Futures Program providing a grant of $115,000, covering half of the facility’s construction.
It was Crystal Brook’s feedlot operators Andrew and Nick Greig who run Fairview Feedlot, which has up to 10,000 head of lambs for capacity, provided the land to be leased to have the yards. Located near the GrainFlow silos, allowing B-Double access, the Crystal Brook complex is in a ideal location for clients from the Eyre Peninsula, Broken Hill, NSW, Yorke Peninsula and the Murray Mallee.
Work on the site was set to begin April 2017, to be completed in August 2017 ready for the intentions of a sale in September. Able to benefit from this opportunity is more than 50 agents throughout SA and Broken Hill. It was expected to hold 6 to 8 lamb and sheep sales each year.
Photo:
Crystal Brook Saleyards.
October 4th 2017
The first Crystal Brook sale was presented with warm, windy, dusty and overall trying weather conditions but saw a well presented and executed day, benefiting the 5000 farmers across the state that this agency represents.
Competition was strong with buyers showing up from the West Coast and Southeast of SA, Burra, Roseworthy, Two Wells, Ouyen in Victoria and of course local competition.
The sale kicked off with a charity pen of 42 crossbred lambs donated by the landowners Andrew, Pat & Nick Greig. These sold for $300.00/Head, purchased equally by The Midfield Group and JBS Australia. Proceeds were donated to the charity, Lifeline.
With a total yarding of 9000 head and getting a gross of $1.1 million in sales within an hour, CIAA was confident in their $400,000 investment.
October 4th 2017
The first Crystal Brook sale was presented with warm, windy, dusty and overall trying weather conditions but saw a well presented and executed day, benefiting the 5000 farmers across the state that this agency represents.
Competition was strong with buyers showing up from the West Coast and Southeast of SA, Burra, Roseworthy, Two Wells, Ouyen in Victoria and of course local competition.
The sale kicked off with a charity pen of 42 crossbred lambs donated by the landowners Andrew, Pat & Nick Greig. These sold for $300.00/Head, purchased equally by The Midfield Group and JBS Australia. Proceeds were donated to the charity, Lifeline.
With a total yarding of 9000 head and getting a gross of $1.1 million in sales within an hour, CIAA was confident in their $400,000 investment.
Early 2018
Following the first market at Crystal Brook, more than 18,500 sheep have been sold at the new facility. These sales have had representation from Midfield, Thomas Foods and JBS whilst having plenty of interstate competition as well.
Some doubt had set in regarding sales due to the at time present prices being heavily influenced by the annual sell-off from the pastoral areas, particularly in the northwest pastoral zone due to a dry summer. The lack of paddock feed was holding back the prices for mated ewes and lamb prices dropped mainly due to the lack of available kill space since the fire at TFI in January.
There were plans for the next sale to be mid-April 2018 dependent of sheep numbers and seasonal conditions, if the season doesn’t open early predictions were to see a significantly increased offering of sheep in store condition from both the pastoral and grain belts of SA.
January 2018
CIAA and its affiliated agents continued to be a major player at the South Australian Livestock Exchange. Renowned for the offering of heavy and extreme heavyweight crossbred and merino lambs.
Peter Pinkerton regularly weaved some magic over CIAA sales so much so he achieved record breaking results for the crossbred and merino lamb sales during 2017.
Willson Livestock’s client BJ & FA Daniel from Paskeville sold 71 crossbred at $242.00/Head whilst Platinum Livestock’s client JI & PJ Price from Booborowie eclipsed all comers by achieving $212.00/Head for 89 merino wether lambs.
On the cattle side of Dublin client Motpena Props from Port Augusta and Broughton Hills from Yacka, both sold cattle up to $4.00/Kg.
Looking at Mt Compass the C.I.A.A auctioneer Jeff Emms racks up some top prices for clients on a weekly basis. A Platinum Livestock client NL & AP Borchardt from Mannum achieved the outstanding price of $3.97/Kg for yearling heifers. Which was the highlight of a very good year at Mount Compass.
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Platinum Agent, Wayne Hall and CIAA Client, Bruce Daniel at a Dublin Market.
January 2018
CIAA and its affiliated agents continued to be a major player at the South Australian Livestock Exchange. Renowned for the offering of heavy and extreme heavyweight crossbred and merino lambs.
Peter Pinkerton regularly weaved some magic over CIAA sales so much so he achieved record breaking results for the crossbred and merino lamb sales during 2017.
Willson Livestock’s client BJ & FA Daniel from Paskeville sold 71 crossbred at $242.00/Head whilst Platinum Livestock’s client JI & PJ Price from Booborowie eclipsed all comers by achieving $212.00/Head for 89 merino wether lambs.
On the cattle side of Dublin client Motpena Props from Port Augusta and Broughton Hills from Yacka, both sold cattle up to $4.00/Kg.
Looking at Mt Compass the C.I.A.A auctioneer Jeff Emms racks up some top prices for clients on a weekly basis. A Platinum Livestock client NL & AP Borchardt from Mannum achieved the outstanding price of $3.97/Kg for yearling heifers. Which was the highlight of a very good year at Mount Compass.
Photo:
Platinum Agent, Wayne Hall and CIAA Client, Bruce Daniel at a Dublin Market.
May 2019
State lamb prices continue to tumble with extreme heavyweights selling to $336/Head at the SA Livestock Exchange, Dublin.
CIAA’s Neil & Jackie Harrop of Harrop Pastoral, Paskeville, held the state lamb record for selling 53 November shorn white suffolk merino lambs for $36 a head more than the $300 record from last weeks market by fellow CIAA client Bruce Danial of Paskeville also.
Across the market of 10,000 lambs and 2000 sheep yarded the competition was extreme, especially for processors. The strong competition pushed bidding for several pens above $320/head. A client from point pass sold 17 crossbred lambs for $334, 30 crossbred lambs made $332 and a Kadina client made 39 crossbred lambs for $325.
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May 2019
State lamb prices continue to tumble with extreme heavyweights selling to $336/Head at the SA Livestock Exchange, Dublin.
CIAA’s Neil & Jackie Harrop of Harrop Pastoral, Paskeville, held the state lamb record for selling 53 November shorn white suffolk merino lambs for $36 a head more than the $300 record from last weeks market by fellow CIAA client Bruce Danial of Paskeville also.
Across the market of 10,000 lambs and 2000 sheep yarded the competition was extreme, especially for processors. The strong competition pushed bidding for several pens above $320/head. A client from point pass sold 17 crossbred lambs for $334, 30 crossbred lambs made $332 and a Kadina client made 39 crossbred lambs for $325.
Photo:
Present
CIAA continues to evolve with an evolving marketplace. Large numbers of stock are now sold through many varied channels compared to the early days of heavily dominated sales via saleyards. Still our place as South Australia’s largest saleyard complex North of Adelaide, continue to play a significant role in the SA livestock scene.
Over its journey CIAA has serviced more than 15,000 livestock clients across SA, Broken Hill and NSW. The CIAA network continues to service Northern areas od SA as well as the Eyre Peninsula, Broken Hill, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Upper South East. CIAA continues to sell at the Dublin saleyards for Sheep & Lambs, while both Mt Compass and Dublin saleyards sell cattle at the weekly markets at both sites.
Very recently, CIAA re-opened the Crystal Brook saleyards to offer a dedicated selling centre for “Shedding Sheep”. This is an example of how CIAA continues to evolve with the needs of the market. CIAA will now service this rapidly growing segment of the livestock industry from a perfectly located geography, Crystal Brook, for access to and from some of the key production regions for these sheep breeds.
As CIAA continues to evolve and participate within and for the needs of the livestock producers, consumers, processors, and industry stakeholders, you can rest assured that you will get ongoing quality service from the independent agents and agencies, that make up CIAA.
Present
CIAA continues to evolve with an evolving marketplace. Large numbers of stock are now sold through many varied channels compared to the early days of heavily dominated sales via saleyards. Still our place as South Australia’s largest saleyard complex North of Adelaide, continue to play a significant role in the SA livestock scene.
Over its journey CIAA has serviced more than 15,000 livestock clients across SA, Broken Hill and NSW. The CIAA network continues to service Northern areas od SA as well as the Eyre Peninsula, Broken Hill, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Upper South East. CIAA continues to sell at the Dublin saleyards for Sheep & Lambs, while both Mt Compass and Dublin saleyards sell cattle at the weekly markets at both sites.
Very recently, CIAA re-opened the Crystal Brook saleyards to offer a dedicated selling centre for “Shedding Sheep”. This is an example of how CIAA continues to evolve with the needs of the market. CIAA will now service this rapidly growing segment of the livestock industry from a perfectly located geography, Crystal Brook, for access to and from some of the key production regions for these sheep breeds.
As CIAA continues to evolve and participate within and for the needs of the livestock producers, consumers, processors, and industry stakeholders, you can rest assured that you will get ongoing quality service from the independent agents and agencies, that make up CIAA.
© 2023 Combined Independent Agents Association