Stephen Peake, Bowen Poll Herefords, Olwyn and David Lyons, Melville Park Poll Herefords, Emma, Del and Greg Rees, and Paul Jameson, Elders, with The Ranch Remington R028.
Prices leapt into the stratosphere at the 2022 Herefords Australia National Sale at Dubbo on June 7, punching out a new record top of $120,000.
A total of 12 existing and three new vendors from NSW and Queensland offered 50 polled bulls and 14 females at the event which was interfaced with AuctionsPlus and drew 79 registered bidders.
Of the 64 head offered, 54 were for an 84 per cent clearance, gross of $709,000 and overall average of $13,129 – eclipsing the previous record of $11,042 set in 2021.
In the sale breakdown, of the 50 bulls offered, 42 were sold to a top of $120,000, gross of $618,000 and average of $14,714.
In the females, 12 sold from the 14 offered to a top of $14,000, gross of $91,000 and average of $7583.
Vendors Greg and Del Rees, The Ranch, Tomingley, were over the moon with excitement to create a new top price of $120,000 for their grand champion bull, The Ranch Remington R028.
The August 2020 drop son of New Zealand sire Koanui Techno 3062 was bought in partnership by David and Olwyn Lyons, Melville Hereford and Poll Herefords, Vasey, Vic, and Stephen Peake, Bowen Poll Herefords, Barraba, NSW.
On BREEDPLAN, the bull had a 600-day weight of +100kg, milk of +27kg, carcase weight +68kg and eye muscle area of +3.7sqcm.
Stephen Peake was impressed with the bull’s structural soundness, carcase, mobility and outcross bloodlines.
David Lyons liked the bull’s softness, thickness, carcase, conformation and BREEDPLAN figures.
Mr Lyons confirmed there had already been plenty of semen interest in the bull.
The second top price of $42,000 was paid by Cascade Poll Herefords, Currabubula, NSW, for Ironbark Glen Romeo, a son of Kanimbla Prospector M086, offered by Vic and Carolyn Camilleri, Ironbark Glen Poll Herefords, Oberon, NSW.
The October 2020 drop bull had a low birthweight combined with milk of +17kg, and +3.9sqcm eye muscle area.
Kelly and Teeney Runza, Tenaru Poll Herefords, Goondiwindi, bid to $40,000 for Armada Roff, the junior champion bull offered by Andrew and Brooke Rayner, Armada Poll Herefords, Hargraves, NSW.
The Grathlyn Holyfield N019 son had BREEDPLAN figures of +117kg for 600-day weight, +79kg for carcase weight, and +5.4sqcm for eye muscle area.
Lambert Pastoral, Charleville, Qld, outlaid $30,000 for Ironbark Glen Revolver, a son of Eathorpe North N018 while Chris Lisle, Tummel Herefords, Walcha, paid $28,000 for Valley View Rubble R003 sold by Paul and Angela Durkin, Valley View stud, Warialda.
Mick McInerney, Garryowen Poll Herefords, Riverton, SA, bought Grathlyn Rochester R027 for $26,000 and Ben and Leanne Rumbel, Supple Whiteface, Guyra, sold Supple Schmick for $20,000 to a Bordertown, SA, buyer through AuctionsPlus.
D & K Page paid $20,000 for Valley View Ramjet R042, Grathlyn Ronaldinho sold for $20,000 on AuctionsPlus and Nutrien Ag Solutions purchased Armada Ripper for $18,000 on behalf of a Cooma client.
Other buyers on the day included Round Mount Poll Herefords, Mudgee, buying Llandillo Russia R121 for $14,000 and the NSW Department of Primary Industries paid $12,000 for Callaway 173D Streaker S009.
In the female lots, Andrew and Jessica Quirk, Pinnacle Poll Herefords, Forbes, outlaid the top price of $14,000 for Llandillo Aster S56, an April 2021 drop daughter of Grathlyn Pacemaker. Pinnacle also invested $13,500 in Llandillo Julie S24, $10,000 for Llandillo WFC Nora and $7000 for Llandillo Gladiola S18.
Mr Quirk had been in inactive Hereford breeder for 24 years and has returned to the fold to form a stud herd.
“I thought the four heifers were a great line, very even, true to type and they will be the platform for the stud herd,” Mr Quirk said.
Damian Halloway, Tobruk Herefords, Wagga Wagga, bought the joined heifer JTR Harriette R032 for $10,000 and Garryowen Poll Herefords paid $7000 for the grand champion female, JTR Irish Rose P021 and her heifer calf.
John Settree, Divisional Livestock Coordinator, Nutrien Livestock, Dubbo, confirmed the new record price.
“For Greg and Del Rees to be rewarded with $120,000 was a big tick for their program, and showed other studs are watching them,” Mr Settree said.
“We had commercial buyers from Warren, Nyngan, Dubbo and Wellington, and bulls sold into Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
“New vendors Valley View Poll Herefords averaged $24,000 for their bulls, and all three of the new vendors indicated they will be back.”
“In the females, the better heifers were rewarded at $8000-$12,000 – they were a good opportunity to add or start a program.”
Herefords Australia National Sale Dubbo committee chairman Andrew Rayner was pleased with the sale result.
“Considering three years ago there was a lot of people saying the sale wouldn’t continue, we have definitely figured out we have a place in the industry,” Mr Rayner said.
-Kim Woods