BUYERS from all states except Western Australia, plus New Zealand, paid an average $7321 for 160 bulls at the 47th National Hereford Show and Sale on May 3.
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The 195 registered buyers competed strongly to create a 92 per cent clearance. While the top price of $30,000 was reached three times, a feature was the ability of commercial producers to obtain quality-assured Hereford bulls at reasonable prices according to event chairman Geoff King.
“Just on 60 per cent of the bulls sold for $6000 or less, which makes great buying of bulls that carry Breedplan figures, have passed stringent semen tests and have been inspected by a veterinarian at the sale for structural and reproductive soundness,” he said.
The 21-month-old Cootharaba Magnum son, Mawarra Yesteryear, offered by the Sykes family, Longford, Victoria, was junior and reserve grand champion under the judging of Stephen Peake of Bowen Herefords.
He attracted strong competition before selling to Adrian Spencer, Ironbark, Barraba, NSW, for $30,000. Mawarra’s eight bulls grossed $135,000 and averaged $16,875.
These included the reserve senior champion Mawarra Yours Truly at $26,000 to Marc Greening, Injemira, Book Book, NSW, and the reserve intermediate Hereford champion Mawarra Youngster at $24,000 to RE and AM Smith, Glenellerslie, Adelong, NSW.
Also reaching the $30,000 mark was the intermediate and grand champion, Kaludah Two-Up, by Ardno Action 2, offered by Pam Shelley from Cooma, NSW, and purchased by Vernon Robertson, Top End, Goulburn, NSW; Kaludah sold 12 bulls for an average $8292.
Glendan Park, Kyneton, Victoria, sold 10 bulls for an average $13,150. Their senior champion Hereford bull Glendan Park Federation F026, was passed in at $20,000 but sold almost immediately he walked out of the ring for $30,000 via a telephone offer to Stephen Collins, Glenwarrah, Bundarra, NSW.
Another top money earner at $25,000 was Bolong Automatic F009 offered by PJ and CD Croker, The Rock, NSW and sold to the Bjorksten family’s Beralga and Wandong Herefords, Yeoval, NSW.
The Bjorkstens paid $63,000 for four bulls including $20,000 for Centennial Fremantle F081 offered by Paul Rogers, Coolah, NSW. Centennial sold seven bulls for a $10,000 average; these included another $20,000 sale for Centennial Fire Storm F076 to Galloway Cattle Co, Roma, Queensland.
Part of a contingent of South Australian vendors was Lachlan Day of Days Whiteface, Bordertown who brought out Days Wizard F5 to take out the poll Hereford grand championship and sell to Yavenvale, Adelong, NSW, and Newcomen, Ensay, Victoria.
Multiple buyers included MD Altschwager, Tantanoola, South Australia with five bulls at a $4100 average; Reid Trust, Howlong, Victoria, with three bulls at an average $5167, and MR and LJ Weston, Jindabyne, NSW, with five bulls at an average $4900.