ALLEGRIA Park Angus stud principal Andrew Kuss achieved a goal last week.
Having never sold a bull for more than $10,000 at auction, fingers were crossed that this year would be the year - and it sure was.
Second cab off the rank in the Landmark Esperance bull sale circuit last Wednesday, the stud posted a top of $13,000 and bested the 2016 top of $9500 to sell at $10,000 or more a total of six times.
In the end the sale averaged $7724, up only $4 on last year's average, ensuring all budgets were catered for with all bulls sold after the only sire passed in sold privately for $4000.
Landmark Brindley and Gale agent Peter Gale said it was a huge result for the stud and good value buying across the catalogue.
"It was fantastic to see the buyers willing to go that extra distance for the bulls they were after," Mr Gale said.
Auctioneer Neil Brindley, Landmark Brindley and Gale, agreed.
"The result not only reflected current market values, but it also reflected the time and effort put in by the Allegria Park team to produce such an even line-up of bulls where bidders could be confident to purchase from anywhere in the catalogue," Mr Brindley said.
Things heated up quickly when the bidding got going with August 2015-born lot one kicking off at $5000, only to climb all the way up to $13,000 before it was knocked down to returning top price buyer Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Esperance.
Allegria Park Elevator L68 was an AI son of Coonamble Elevator E11.
Mr Graham said the Elevator bloodline was a major drawcard.
"The progeny from that bloodline are good doers and I thought this particular bull is one of the better balanced Elevator sons I've seen," Mr Graham said.
"He's quiet and has shown great growth for his age."
Elevator L68 had EBVs of +53, +104 and +136 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +126 for mature cow weight (MCW), +4.6 for EMA and +1.7 for IMF.
Mr Graham is a regular buyer at Allegria Park and said he will definitely be returning again in the future.
By sale's end, Mr Graham had secured one more Allegria Park sire at $10,500 with figures of +52, +96 and +118 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and +8.2 for EMA.
Coming in at second top price for the day was a full ET brother to the top-priced lot and secured by the losing bidder to lot one, Neil Wandel, Willawayup Farms, Esperance, who bought Allegria Park Elevator L72 for $12,000.
Another son of Coonamble Elevator E11, Mr Wandel beat out a lot of competition for the upstanding sire with EBVs of +55, +105 and +144 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +147 for MCW, +4.9 for EMA and +1.6 for IMF.
The third top price was $11,500 paid for another sire from the Coonamble Elevator bloodline - also demonstrating the solid growth rates typical of the Elevator genetics - which sold to Como Holdings, Esperance, to round out a team of three Allegria Park sires it purchased at an average of $6833.
The volume buyer on the day was return buyer Ryan Willing, Katanka Pty Ltd, East Condingup, who secured five Allegria Park sires for an average of $8000.
Mr Willing's biggest bid was $10,000 for a stretchy sire in lot seven.
The son of Cherylton Performer F4 had one of the lowest birthweight figures in the catalogue at +2.4 and growth weights of +45, +85 and +109 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights to back it up.
Mr Willing said he was looking for easy doing bulls to run with cows and heifers.
"There was plenty of choice," Mr Willing said.
"I needed five and had 10 circled in the catalogue to choose from which speaks to the evenness of the Allegria Park bulls.
"The quality was definitely there - I was happy to pay the money I did."
Other major buyers included Sanderson Bros, Grass Patch and SC & FH Tiller, Condingup, who each secured three for averages of $7500 and $9333 respectively, while newcomer to the sale Camm Farm, Lake Camm, bought two, as did local producers Scott Wandel, Ridley Plains and JC & SJ Sharpe.
Allegria Park Angus stud principal Andrew Kuss said it was a fantastic sale for the stud.
"I was really happy to see the spread of prices so there were bulls within reach of everyone interested," Mr Kuss said.
"Thanks to both new and returning clients for their support of the sale."