Third Carenda stud sale peaks at $13,250

It was a cooler day with gusts of wind kicking up plenty of dust and hay in the yards.

The Helmsman auction style was again opted for by the Kitchen family with the Elders team hosting the sale.

All of the bulls were simultaneously up for sale with bidders having 30 minutes to get their bids in before dropping to a minute timer until everyone had secured the bulls or females they were after.

The benefit of the format is that it allowed bidders to re-assess the lots during the sale before placing a bid.

A registry of 24 bidders cleared 19 of 27 bulls with one selling after the sale to average $6842.

There were 28 heifers divided into seven pens of four, with all but one lot selling to average $1646.

Figures improved across the board with clearance numbers up from the stud's 2019 sale when seven out of 26 bulls sold averaging $4357 and eight of 28 heifers sold averaging $1200.

This year's top price of $13,250 also exceeded last year's sale top of $6500.

It wasn't until the last few minutes of the sale that bidding on the top-priced lot three bull picked up to surpass the lot one bull which had been sitting at the top spot for the majority of the sale.

Making the bid of $13,250 was farm manager Mat Fairbrass on behalf of Bowie Beef, which operates across multiple properties in the Bridgetown/Yornup area.

The Carenda Quarantine Q45 bull was sired by NBHL348 Clunie Range Legend L348.

It weighed 834kg with a birthweight of +5.8, +47, +84, +112 for 200,400 and 600-day weights as well as carcase trait figures of +58 carcase weight (CWT), +4.4 eye muscle area (EMA) and +1.8 marbling (IMF).

Bowie Beef runs a self-replacing herd of 900-950 Angus breeders and is looking to increase its breeder numbers over the coming years.

Mr Fairbrass said it was the first time that he has bought from the Carenda stud for Bowie Beef and was pleased with the bulls that he managed to secure.

"It (the top price bull) was a good moderate thick bull, with good figures," Mr Fairbrass said.

He went on to secure two more bulls, paying $7250 for Carenda Quambaloo Q83 and $6750 for Carenda Queeda Q51.

There was only $250 separating the top and second top-priced bull with Kevin Owen, Tomasi Grazing, Karridale, paying $13,000.

The lot one Carenda Quidditch Q36 bull was sired by NKLF84 Kansas Aberdeen and weighed 816kg.

Its test figures showed +7.4 birthweight, +55, +99, +134 for 200, 400 and 600 day weights, +68 CWT, +4.7 EMA and +1.5 IMF.

Mr Owen said it was his first time purchasing from the stud and he was looking for a bull to put over his females that would produce some good calves.

The operation runs 500 Angus breeders.

"He was a very well put together bull and I believe he will suit our operation well," Mr Owen said.

Next to bid big was Hourston grazing, Redmond, paying the third top price of $10,000 for Carenda Quill Q30 sired by NBHL Clunie Range Legend L348, weighing 874kg.

It had +5.4 birthweight, +53,+94, +121, 200, 400 and 600-day weight along with carcase traits of +68 CWT, +4.8 EMA and +1.8 IMF.

A bid of $8250 was achieved twice for two different bulls and was first paid by G & S Batley & Son, Busselton for Carenda Quade Q66.

Next to pay $8250 was Bachos Holding, Manjimup, for Carenda Quince Q75.

Pinjarra operation Bancell Falls bought one bull at $7000 for Carenda Quantum Q16 weighing 798kg.

By the completion of the sale, Bancell Falls had purchased two more bulls for a total of three, paying $6500 for Carenda Quickstep Q6 and $4000 for Carenda Quid Q20.

It was early on in the proceedings that all but one lot of heifers received bids to put them on the market.

By the conclusion of the sale, it was Hillcrest Farms, Marbellup, that paid the top price of $1725 per head (twice) for two pens of commercial yearling heifers totalling eight head.

The first pen of heifers weighed an average of 440kg, while the second pen weighed 396kg on average.

Hillcrest Farms purchased a total of five lots of heifers totalling 20 head.

TS Dawson, Dumbleyung, paid the second top price for females of $1700 (per head) for one lot of four heifers weighing an average of 405kg.

Elders Katanning agent Russell McKay said it was an outstanding result for the stud's third sale.

"To sell three bulls for over $10,000 was fantastic and to achieve the average they did was great," Mr McKay said.

"It is a credit to both Matt and Daniegh, especially with the past two years being tough autumn seasons."

"There was great buying support from the Elders team with agents from Capel, Boyanup, Albany and Mt Barker.

"The support from all purchasers was greatly appreciated."

Co-stud-principal Matt Kitchen said he was very happy with the sale, having received some of their highest prices since the stud started hosting on-property sales three years ago.

"We had an excellent average and it is probably the best we have ever had," Mr Kitchen said

"There was a great crowd this year and there was a good mix of buyers from different locations."

"We were very happy with the presentation of the heifers and they sold very well."

"I am ecstatic with the result."

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