IT was smiles a plenty following last week’s Farm Weekly WA Supreme Bull Sale in Brunswick with buyers walking away with quality bulls and vendors seeing a rise in average and clearance on last year.
With the grandstand in the Alan Evans Cattle Selling Complex filled to the brim with more than 100 registered buyers, a quality presentation of bulls across all breeds and a stronger cattle market since the beginning of the year, there were enough positives to suggest the sale would be solid.
The quality line-up of bulls attracted plenty of support throughout the sale from not only local WA buyers but also New South Wales and South Australia and resulted in prices hitting a high of $20,500 for a Yallaroo Poll Hereford to go with another five bulls selling for $10,000 or more.
In the joint selling effort the Elders and Landmark teams offered 116 bulls representing eight British and European breeds from 23 studs and sold 87, or 75 per cent under the hammer at an average of $5845.
When compared to last year’s sale the average was up $500 and the clearance rate was up eight points.
In last year’s sale the agents offered 129 bulls and sold 87 under the hammer for an average of $5345.
Not only did the Hereford/Poll Hereford breed take top price honours it also came out on top in the average stakes at $8132 for the 19 bulls sold from the 22 offered.
The next best average across the breeds was $6750 achieved by the Lincoln Red breed for two bulls offered and sold.
The highest average for the European breeds and third best overall was $5563 and this was achieved in the Simmental offering when 16 bulls sold from 19 offered.
Elders auctioneer Don Morgan said given the current cattle price climate it was a very good sale.
“The number of registrations was above expectations and there was plenty of interest in the cattle presented,” Mr Morgan said.
“And as is always the case, the bulls of the highest quality sold well with some breeds in more demand than others.”
Landmark South West livestock manager Michael Rose agreed it was a pleasing result.
“The clearance was really good which reflected the quality of presentation across all breeds yarded on the day,” Mr Rose said.
“Buyers were willing to spend money across the catalogue making for a positive result.”
In their 49th year of breeding Hereford cattle Yallaroo stud principals Rob and Heather Francis, Busselton, achieved their highest ever sale price and the sale’s top price, to continue their strangle-hold as the sale’s top price vendors for a fifth consecutive year.
First-time buyer to the stud Paul Hawkins, Forrest View Grazing, Dinninup, with the assistance of Landmark Bridgetown agent Ben Cooper bid to $20,500 for the third bull in the Yallaroo team, Yallaroo Miracle M012 (P).
Bidding kicked off at $6000 on the polled son of Mawarra Mustang (P) and quickly rose as Mr Morgan fielded a flurry of bids from around the stands but in the end it was Mr Hawkins who had the staying power and secured the bull to plenty of applause when it was finally knocked down.
Miracle, which was an 2016 April Fool’s Day born calf, tipped the scales at 999 kilograms and had scan figures of 120cm2 EMA, 5.7 IMF, 11mm P8 fat and 8mm rib fat.
It wasn’t only Miracle’s outstanding length and growth which caught the eye of many prospective buyers, it also recorded outstanding growth EBVs, which rank it in the top 5pc of the breed for 200, 400 and 600-day weight.
Miracle has EBVs of +8.6 birthweight, +13 milk, +42, +66 and +97 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +53 carcase weight (CWT), +2.5 EMA,
-0.5 rib fat, -0.7 rump fat, +1 retail beef yield (RBY) and +0.1 IMF.
Along with buying the top-priced sire Mr Hawkins and Mr Cooper also combined to secure the 837kg Yallaroo Munro M33 for $8500 from Yallaroo.
The late May 2016 born Munro, is sired by Yallaroo Harvey H46 and is Yallaroo Silver Queen J5’s first calf.
It has growth EBVs of +25, +37 and +54 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, along with positive fats with EBVs of +0.7 rib and +1.1 rump.
The pairing continued their buying spree also picking up the 912kg Yallaroo Mason M19 and the 1067kg Yallaroo Majestic M3 both at $5000.
Majestic is by Mawarra Aftershock and is in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, while Mason is by Yallaroo Harvey and has positive fat EBVs of +1 for rib (top 15pc) and +1.7 for rump (top 10pc).
Top price buyer Paul Hawkins, Forrest View Grazing, Dinninup, said the bulls he purchased had the sort of ideal growth and carcase traits he was looking for.
“We wanted stand out 200 and 400-day growth traits in the bulls we bought so they can be producing calves capable of being turned off as early as possible,” he said.
This was the first time the 700 breeder operation had bought bulls from Yallaroo, but Mr Hawkins said after inspecting the cattle prior to the sale he had been impressed.
“Rob’s bulls stand up very nicely and have everything you look for in a quality Hereford,” Mr Hawkins said.
“We run all Poll Herefords, many of which we’ve bought out of Mt Riddick station over the past few years and we think the bulls we’ve bought will help our herd move forward and the horned sires will also add that bit of hybrid vigour as well.”
Losing bidder on the top-priced bullwas Peter Thomas, Waroona.
- Angus
The Angus breed got the sale underway with 25 bulls offered from four vendors including three selling Angus bulls in the sale for the first time.
By the end of the run only 16 of the 25 bulls offered or 64pc had found new homes at an average of $5281 and to a top of $8000 twice, meaning the clearance for the breed was down 24pc on last year and the average was back $230.
In last year’s sale 23 from 26 Angus bulls sold for a $5511 average.
Return vendors the Kitchen family, Carenda stud, Katanning, were the biggest vendors in the run with an offering of 19 bulls and they sold 11 under the hammer at an average of $5091, back from $5596 last year when they sold 13 from 16 offered.
Along with being the biggest vendor, the Carenda stud also sold one of the $8000 equal top-priced Angus bulls.
Making the $8000 price tag in the Carenda team was Carenda Gatsby M18 (AI) when it was knocked down to the Venables family, FG & LV Venables, Cookernup.
The 914kg Gatsby M18 is sired by Milwillah Gatsby G279 (AI) and is in the top 5-15pc of the breed for growth with figures of +52, +90 and +124 for 200 (top 10pc), 400 (top 15pc) and 600-day weight (top 5pc), while on the carcase side it ranks in the top 10pc for CWT (+73) and top 15pc for IMF (+2.9).
“He’s a good fleshy bull with strength, growth, depth and length,” Oliver Venables said.
“I also liked the above average EMA figure (+5.5).”
The bull will go into a self-replacing Angus herd which Mr Venables said they were looking to increase the numbers in.
“This is the first time we’ve bought from Carenda and hopefully we’ll see some good progeny out of this bull which will go on to be future breeders in our herd.”
The next best price in the Carenda team was $6000 paid twice, firstly by Woodburn Grazing Pty Ltd, Porongurups, for the 888kg Carenda Yogi M41 (AI) and then by 1080 Farming, Katanning, for the 874kg Carenda Thunder M14 (AI).
Yogi M41 is by Booroomooka Yogi Z27 and Thunder M14 is by SAV Thunderbird 9061.
The stud also sold two bulls at $5500 to Sandlewood Farms, Harvey and Hutton Pastoral, Witchcliffe.
Matching the Carenda stud in the top price stakes was first-time Alf Lorkiewicz, White Valley stud, Dardanup, who started his Angus stud only a couple of years ago.
Mr Lorkiewicz sole entry White Valley Marshall M8 created plenty of interest in the ring before being knocked down for $8000 to Greg Brown, Ponderosa stud, Albany.
The well-structured Marshall, was purchased as a calf in utero sired by Coonamble Hunter H274 when Mr Lorkiewicz purchased Coonamble F194 (ET) at the Coonamble reduction sale in 2015.
Marshall has EBVs of +4.4 birthweight, +16 milk, +49, +89 and +125 for 200, 400 and 600-day weight, +77 CWT, +6.3 EMA, +0.1 rib fat, +0.4 rump fat, +0.7 RBY and +1.6 IMF, these figure rank it in the top 5pc for CWT and top 10pc for 600-day weight.
Mr Brown said the bull would provide a new bloodline for the stud with its Coonamble genetics on both sides.
“I really liked his quiet temperament and good shape,” Mr Brown said.
“In addition to physical attributes he also had a good set of figures.”
Better known for their Red Angus bulls, Guy and Pat Jellicoe, Jutland Park stud, Serpentine, offered two Angus bulls for the first time from their recently established Angus herd and both sold under the hammer for a $6250 average.
Their lead bull Jutland Madorda, like White Valley Marshall purchased as a calf in utero at the Coonamble reduction sale, sold for $7500 to JE & BLM Higgins, Frankland.
The 940kg Madorda is by Coonamble Elevator and out of Coonamble G117 and ranks in the top 5pc for 400 and 600-day weight and top 10pc for 200-day weight and CWT.
Hutton Pastoral picked up the second Jutland Park bull, Jutland Mandella for $5000
Rounding out the vendors in the run was another first time vendor John Annear, Trafalgar stud, Vasse, who offered three bulls and sold two under the hammer both at $4000.
Bettina Downs Grazing, Pinjarra, purchased Trafalgar Essaff M23, which is sired by Esselmont Africa K6 and RP Bellairs, Mundijong, took home Trafalgar Chisum M51, which is by S Chisum 6175.
Essaff ranks in top 10pc for milk (+22) and IMF (+3.3), while Chisum M51 is positive for fats at +1 rib and +1.3 rump.
- Hereford/Poll Hereford
The Hereford and Poll Hereford bulls were the second into the ring and set the sale alight achieving both a solid clearance and some sizzling prices.
All up 22 Hereford and Poll Hereford bulls were offered by four vendors and with strong interest 19 (86pc) sold under the hammer for an $8132 average, meaning the average was up $132 on last year.
Not only did Rob and Heather Francis’s Yallaroo team of 10 bulls take top price honours, the team also achieved the highest individual vendor average when all 10 bulls sold averaged $9650.
Along with the sale’s top priced bull Yallaroo also sold the sale’s $15,000 second top-priced sire to return buyer Eddie Wedge, Gingin.
Mr Wedge purchased the stud’s lead bull, Yallaroo Mustang M14, which is a son of Mawarra Aftershock.
The 985kg Mustang had a raw EMA scan of 126cm2 and ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 200 and 600-day weights (+39 and +94) and top 10pc for 400-day weight (+63) and RBY (+1.6).
The next best price in the Yallaroo team and the third top price overall was $12,500 paid by Gunyah Herefords stud principal Robert Hain, Cooma, New South Wales, for Yallaroo Marshall M35.
Mr Hain travelled from New South Wales to Brunswick specifically for the Yallaroo sire he walked away with.
He said it was the outstanding carcase traits of the Yallaroo sire that enticed him to make his first purchase from WA.
“This is the first time I’ve bought from WA but I knew after seeing a picture of this bull online I had to investigate further,” Mr Hain said.
“Rob sent me through a video of him walking and his presence combined with impressive carcase figures for his age got my attention.”
“This bull has the cosmetics to match his excellent figures – he’s got sire appeal, tracks well and stands out so I’m very glad to have him heading home with me.
“I run both horned and polled Herefords in my stud back at home and was in the market for a really good horned bull,” he said.
“Of the 300 registered stud cows we have, about 80 are horned and I wanted so secure some more quality genetics to use over them.”
Marshall is sired by Yallaroo King K5 and weighed 971kg with scan figures of 130cm2 EMA, 5.9 IMF and 9mm for rib and rump fat.
A fourth bull in the Yallaroo team hit the five-figure mark when Yallaroo Maverick M37 sold for $10,000 to Ingleby Pastoral, Milrulong, NSW, through Elders Nannup agent Terry Tarbotton.
The 924kg Yallaroo King K5 son was above breed average for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and had an EMA scan of 122cm2.
John House, House Poll Hereford stud, Dardanup, was another breeder to experience a strong sale with his team of six sires selling to strong enquiry.
Five of the House bulls were destined for a new paddock after selling to a top of $11,000 and an average of $8100.
The $11,000 top-priced House bull, House Magic M8, was purchased by the sale’s top-priced buyer Paul Hawkins, Forrest View Grazing.
Magic M8 was dropped in March 2016 and is sired by Morganvale Furness (P).
Along with great eye appeal Magic ranks in the top 10pc of the breed for growth (+38, +63 and +88) and carcase weight (+60) as well as top 15pc for EMA (+4.3).
House Magnum M26 was another bull to break the five figure mark when it sold at $10,500 to TL O’Byrne & Co, Quindalup.
Magnum M26 is a son of Morganvale Furness (P) and is in the top 10pc for EMA and above breed average for growth.
Other better prices in the House run were $7500 for House Master M11 paid by Yandilla Grazing, Manypeaks and $6500 for House Maestro M14 which was knocked down to Landmark WAcommercial cattle manager Darren Chatley.
Maestro is in the top 1pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, CWT, EMA, while Master ranks in the top 1pc for CWT and EMA plus top 5pc for 400 and 600-day weights.
The Greenland Poll Hereford stud, Pemberton, offered and sold two bulls to a top of $5000 and an average of $4500.
Greenland Might & Power (P) attracted $5000 when it sold to Fraser Trust, Chowerup.
Might & Power is sired by Norolle 46 Real Power and ranks in the top 5pc for EMA (+5.6) and RBY (+1.7).
The second Greenland bull in the sale sold for $4000 to DA Altria, Bridgetown.
The Lynn family’s Eskdale stud, Cunderdin, rounded out the vendors in the run when it offered a team of four bull of which two sold for an average of $4250.
Topping the Eskdale line-up at $4500 was Eskdale Mergus F41 M13 (AI) (P) selling to Northampton producers PA & TS Husbands.
The son of River Perry Fergus F14 M13, Mergus ranks in the top 5pc for CWT and EMA as well as top 10pc for 200 and 400-day weights.
The other Eskdale bull to sell was Eskdale Michael C8 M16 (AI) (P) which was purchased at $4000 by PP & B Smith, Busselton.
- Simmental
A good line-up of 19 traditional and Black Simmental bulls from three vendors were next to be offered and 16 (or 84pc) of them sold under the hammer for an average of $5563.
Compared to last year the average lifted $111 and the clearance was up 16pc.
The Patterson family’s Bullock Hills stud, Woodanilling, offered 17 traditional and Black Simmental bulls to be the sale’s second biggest individual vendor.
At the completion of its run, Bullock Hills had sold 14 at auction to average $5607 to be among the sale’s strong averages for the bigger vendors.
In the breakdown eight out of nine Black Simmentals sold for a $5313 average and six from seven traditionals sold for a $6000 average.
Bullock Hills topped the Simmental values again this year but unlike last year when it was a Black Simmental which took top price honours this time it was a stylish traditional bull from the stud which rose to the top.
Taking top price honours for Bullock Hills at $10,000 was Bullock Hills Max M50 (P) when it was knocked down to Norm Trigwell, Nu-Plains stud, Boyanup, who was buying with the assistance of Elders Boyanup agent Mal Barrett.
The 958kg bull, which is by Bonnydale Lethal Weapon (P), is in the top 1pc of the breed for 600-day weight (+66), top 5pc for 400-day weight (+45) and CWT (+34) plus top 10pc for three of the four Simmental indexes.
Mr Trigwell said while he had purchased sires from Bullock Hills in the past, the new Bullock Hills bull provides a total genetic outcross for the Nu-Plains herd.
“First and foremost the bull has to have a good temperament,” Mr Trigwell said.
“It is early maturing and has a quality body all the way through with pretty good EBVs.
“He has a low birthweight and good growth rates and the fact that he is polled is a bonus.”
Another traditional bull Bullock Hills Mario M65 (P), which was also by Bonnydale Lethal, made good money selling for $7500 to PL & AM Bell, Munglinup, while return buyer to the stud CA Vinci, Beelerup, picked up two polled Willandra Jerry sons for $6000 (Bullock Hills Maverick M18) and $4000 (Bullock Hills Monza M95).
In the Bullock Hills Black Simmental offering prices hit a high of $7500 for Bullock Hills Marley M69 (P) when it sold to RH Norman & Son, Busselton.
The 844kg Marley was sired by Bullock Hills Hamish (P) and is in the top 1pc for three of the four Simmental indexes and top 5pc for EMA, rib fat and rump fat.
The Busselton operation also paid $5000 for the 870kg Bullock Hills Magnum M39 (P) which is also a son of Hamish.
The stud’s two lead bulls Bullock Hills Cowboy M5 (P) and Bullock Hills Marco M44 (P) both sold at $6000 to RH & SJ Manning, Busselton and GA & WM Abbott, Wagin, respectively.
Brighton Farms stud principals Mark and Rose King, Donnybrook, had one bull in the Simmental line-up this year, Brighton Maynard (P) and it sold for $4000 to GE Payne, Karridale.
The 800kg Maynard is by Bonnydale Kojak G082 and has growth EBVs of +22, +33 and +46 for 200, 400 and 600-day weight.
The Tuckey family, Mubarn stud, Pinjarra, also only had one bull in the sale this year – Mubarn Mississippi.
Mississippi sold for $6000 to Landmark Waroona agent Richard Pollock who was bidding on behalf of MI & S Vuletic, Coolup.
The long-bodied, well-balanced Mississippi is a son of Woonallee Howzat (P) and has growth EBVs of +25, +44 and +61 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
- Blonde d’Aquitaine
Three Blonde d’Aquitaine studs offered five bulls between them but unfortunately only one sold under the hammer for $3500.
Securing the $3500 bid under the hammer was Uranongo Matrix from the Uranongo stud, Bridgetown, when Mr Pollock raised his bidding card to secure the 806kg bull.
The January 2016-drop calf is sired by Uranongo Heist and scanned 111cm2 EMA, 2.9 IMF plus 5mm for both rib and rump fat on October 1st.
A second Blonde bull from the Belini stud, Dardanup, Belini Max (D) did sell post sale with J & M Farming, Hopetoun, purchasing it privately for $4500.
The 910kg Max was the first Blackwater Heston son to be offered in Australia.
p Charolais
When it came time for the Charolais line-up buyers were spoilt for choice with four studs offering up 29 bulls, the most by any breed in the sale and buyers responded accordingly pushing both the clearance and average for the breed up on last year.
By the end of the run 21 or 72pc had sold under the hammer for an average of $5048, meaning the clearance was up five points and the average $812.
Peter and Judy Milton, Copplestone stud, Dardanup, were the volume vendors in the Charolais run with a team of 15 bulls and with strong support they sold 12 under the hammer to the breed’s $7500 top price and an average of $5333.
Recording the $7500 price tag was Copplestone Macca M27 (P) when Landmark Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs had the final bid on the long, deep, thick bull for Gelorup operation Jenour & Son.
Mr Abbs said the operation runs a purebred Angus herd and uses Charolais sires to produce quality crossbred calves destined for domestic feed and supermarket trade.
“Its focus is on 200 and 400-day weight EBVs, as well as good carcase traits, in particular EMA,” Mr Abbs said.
The 834kg polled Macca is sired by Ascot Frederick (P) and has EBVs of +0.4 birthweight, +19 milk (top 1pc of breed), +12, +31 and +39 for 200, 400 and 600-day weight, +23 CWT, +1.4 EMA, +1 rib fat, +1.3 rump fat and +0.4 IMF.
Mr Abbs was also quick to snap up Copplestone Mandrake M58 (P/S) at $7000 and Copplestone Moby Dick M6 (P) at $5000 for other clients.
The 820kg, March 2016-drop Mandrake, which is a son of Eagles Tor Jeep (P), ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 200-day weight (+19) and top 10pc for 400 and 600-day weights (+35 and +49).
Other bulls to sell well in the Copplestone team were Copplestone Magellan M59, a son of Palgrove Hagar (P), when it was knocked down at $6500 to AJ & WJ Ryan & Co, Pemberton, while Landmark Manjimup representative Brett Chatley bid to $6000 on behalf of Forrest Downs, Narrikup, for the 734kg Copplestone Master M64 (P), which was sired by Ascot Frederick (P).
Elgin Park stud principals Jim and Belynda Quilty, Elgin, offered and sold six bulls at an average of $4750 and to a top of $6000.
Inspiring the $6000 top bid in the Elgin Park team was Elgin Park Morocco M41 (P) (TW) when it was purchased by Fairbrass Park Charolais stud, Boyup Brook, which was giving buying instructions over the phone to Elders Busselton representative Clint Gartrell.
The 16mo, 728kg Morocco is sired by Elgin Park Kenworth (P) and ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 200-day weight (+19) and top 10pc for RBY, while it has raw scan figures of 120cm2 EMA, 4.1 IMF and 6mm for rib and rump fat.
Two bulls made $5000 in the Elgin Park team – Elgin Park Magnum M42 (P) and Elgin Park Mozart M22 (P).
The 740kg, 16mo Magnum which is sired by Elgin Park Kenworth and ranks in the top 5pc for 200-day weight (+20) and top 10pc for 600-day weight (+48) was purchased by MF & MA Hutton, Capel.
The Huttons also paid $4500 for the 934kg Elgin Park Master M20 (P/S) (AI).
Mozart, which weighed in at 820kg and was 23mo was purchased by ED & JS Hoddell, Collie, with the assistance of Elders Brunswick representative Alex Roberts.
Mozart had current scan figures of 126cm2 EMA, 4.1 IMF and 6mm for rib and rump fat.
The Bellevue stud in its last supreme sale offered six bulls and sold two under the hammer both at $4000 to Hay Australia, Duncraig.
The two bulls to sell were the 888kg polled Bellevue Masso (P) (TW), which is sired by LT Western Edge (P) and the 892kg Bellevue Meta (TW), which is a son of Bellevue Jonah (P).
Both had an EMA scan of 124cm2.
The Spring Valley stud, owned by Mark and Rose King, Donnybrook, rounded out the Charolais vendors in the sale.
The Kings offered two bulls and sold one under the hammer for $6000 to RH Norman & Son, Busselton.
The bull to sell was the 910kg Spring Valley Mighty (P) (AI).
Mighty is sired by EC No Doubt (P) 2022 and has EBVs of -0.9 birthweight, +8 milk and +13, +25 and +34 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
- Murray Grey
This year’s Muray Grey offering saw three studs present collectively 13 bulls and by the end of the run 12 had sold under the hammer for a $4792 average, which was back $133 on last year.
Top price honours in the breed for a second year running went to Cameron Harris, Nangara stud, Manjimup, when he sold his second bull – Nangara Moonshine M7 – for $7000 to Geoff Teasdale, GR Teasdale, Badgingarra, who was bidding over the phone with the assistance of Elders Waroona representative Michael Longford.
The 822kg Moonshine is a son of Monterey Gangster G260 and is below breed average for birthweight (+2.6) and above average for growth (+23, + 37 and +57 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights).
Mr Longford said Mr Teasdale, who runs a mixed beef herd that produces for the feeder market, selected the Nangara bull on its figures as a low birthweight bull for his heifers and asked him to check it for correctness and type.
Nangara’s other two bulls on offer also both sold during the auction when they were purchased by T Tate & Co, Treeton, at $4000.
This meant Nangara cleared its offering of three bulls at an average of $5000.
The Mighty stud, Boyup Brook, offered up six bulls and cleared all six to a top of $5500 and an average of $4250.
Making the $5500 top price in the Mighty team was Mighty Master Plan M5 when it was secured by RH Norman & Son, Busselton.
The 890kg son of Karakara Balfour B202 has growth EBVs of +15, +21 and +33 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights.
Landmark Boyup Brook agent Jamie Abbs purchased two bulls from the Mighty line-up – Mighty Mars Bar M12 and Mighty Marri M15 – both at $4000 for Shorelands Pastoral Co, Bunbury.
Both were sons of Bundaleer Fanatic F36.
The stud’s other three bulls also sold for $4000 to AR & SM Penfold, Capel; Allen Family Trust, Gingin and Cherrybelle Farm, Glen Mervyn.
The Wundam Park stud, Boyup Brook, rounded out the Murray Grey run with a team of four bulls of which three sold under the hammer for an average of $5667.
The top price in the Wundam Park team was $6500 for Wundam Park Magnum M20 paid by WM Valli, Dardanup.
The May 2016-drop Magnum weighed 778kg and was sold with scan figures of 111cm2 EMA, 5.2 IMF and 10mm for both rib and rump fat.
Wundam Park Motana M11, a son of Corrick Eldorado 2nd 458, also attracted strong interest selling to Oceanview Corp Pty Ltd for $5500, while Maywill Farms, Waroona, paid $5000 for a Wundam Park Top Shelf K9 son, Wundam Park Musket M16.
- Lincoln Red
The Turner family’s Tone Park stud, Boyup Brook, offered for the first time its Lincoln Red bulls in the supreme sale and they were snapped up by buyers.
The stud offered two bulls in its debut offering and both found new homes quickly selling for an average of $6750.
The stud’s lead bull Tone M9 attracted the most attention from buyers before finally being knocked down at $8500 to Landmark WA commercial cattle manager Darren Chatley, who was bidding on behalf of return buyers to the stud Churinga Park Pastoral, Coonawarra, South Australia.
The 850kg, late March 2016-drop M9, which is sired by Tone J10, showed great thickness and structure in the ring.
The stud’s second bull, Tone M22, which is sired by Tone F9 (AI) (P) and weighed 830kg, was purchased at $5000 by VA & AJ Blechynden, Manjimup.