Preston Farm near Blandford was the venue for the largest dispersal sale of tractors and farm machinery in the south-west of England so far this year for auctioneer Symonds & Sampson.

With 400 lots (340 on behalf of main vendor the Harding Farming Partnership), the sale contained numerous tractors and four combines, plus, a wide selection of arable and grass kit.

Most of the tractors were John Deeres, one each of a 2003 6220 (£19,800), 2014 6125R (£44,000), 2005 6530 (£23,500), 2008 6830 (poor condition/not sold), 2018 6135R (£37,500). Plus, two that did not sell; 2019 6155R and 2018 6250R. Other tractors included a 2018 Case Farmall 115C HD (£28,400) and 2020 Case Puma 220 Multicontroller (£39,200). The most expensive was a 2022 Valtra T235 Unlimited, which sold for £94,000. A 2018 Bateman RB35 (30m) self-propelled sprayer secured the top price of the day at £96,000.

The most expensive tractor was this 2022 Valtra T235 Unlimited, which sold for £94,000.

Arable kit included a 2008 (6,300ha) 4.0m Väderstad Rapid (£12,600) and early 2000’s 5.0m Väderstad Carrier (£5,200). Prices paid for some of the other arable machines entered for the sale included a 2020 New Holland SBM V750 cultivator (£9,400), a 2018 Opico three-leg Swardlifter (£3,700), 2004 4.0t Bredal twin-belt fertiliser spreader (£5,600), 2007 Kongskilde Delta 3 grubber cultivator (£3,000), 2001 Kverneland 3-leg auto-reset subsoiler (£1,700), 2017 six-furrow Kverneland KRPG-100 plough (£15,400), 2016 8.3m Cousins HZ Cambridge rollers (£7,300), and a 6.3m (year unknown) Twose Cambridge rollers (£3,600).

This 2019 Kuhn Metris 320S 24m trailed sprayer sold for £25,000. Other Kuhn kit included a 2012 six-rotor tedder (£4,400) and 2012 2.8m flail topper (£2,300).

£67,500 secured this 2011 New Holland CR9080 Combine and its 35’ Varifeed header. A hammer on a 2012 Claas Lexion 750 c/w 30’ Vario Header came down at £65,500. Buyers were not found for the other two combines: a New Holland CX8080 and Claas Lexion 760.

The list of grassland machines included a 2019 3.6m Watson end-tow flat roller (£5,700), 2011 3.2m Lely mower-conditioner (£5,000), 2020 3.2m Krone EasyCut mower-conditioner (£8,000), 2012 Lely Hibiscus single-rotor rake (£3,700), 2014 Lely Lotus six-rotor tedder (£4,600), 2016 Claas Liner 2900 twin-rotor rake (£8,000) and a 2003 (55,000 bales) McHale 991 round-bale wrapper (£4,000).

This 2021 New Holland TH7.42 Elite telehandler made £51,500.

AS Marston trailers included two 2006-made ACE 12 versions (£6,200 each), while three 8.0t trailers from the mid-1908s made from £2,150-£2,600. A 2005 AS Marston 28-foot bale trailer sold for £3,600, and a 2016 Shelbourne 457 hedge trimmer made £8,400.

The hammer came down on this two-year old New Holland Roll-Belt 180 round baler (approx. 3,500 bales) at £16,000.

Livestock equipment included a 2007 trailed Teagle Tomahawk 8080 bale shredder (£3,700) and a 2013 Ifor Williams TA510-G stock box (£3,300).

“The Harding’s had farmed the land since 1938,” comments partner and auctioneer Greg Ridout of Symonds & Sampson, who handled the farm sale.

“Having been in the area for so long there was terrific local support at the sale, but buyers also came from all parts of the south whilst bidders from as far away as Ireland took advantage of the online bidding platform to push prices up,” he comments.

“At one point, over 500 people were following the sale online, and one dealer remarked that he had never in his life seen so many people at a farm sale anywhere in the country.”

Symonds & Sampson has held 21 dispersal (dairy cows and machinery) sales so far this year. Next month it will hold a live auction of farm machinery and equipment at the inaugural Southern Counties Farming & Machinery Show at the Newbury Showground.

Details of the Southern Counties Farming & Machinery Show:

Tractors and machines at new British show – Profi

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