Central Highlands Brangus producer of 25 years has made history at the 48th annual National Brangus Sale after equalling the top-priced record of $150,000 and selling two bulls for a quarter of a million dollars.
Held on Tuesday, 15 October at CQLX Saleyards, Gracemere, the sale saw 240 lots of red and black registered bulls and 17 herd bulls.
The overall sale sold 197 bulls with a clearance rate of 82 per cent, gross of $2.643 million and averaged $13,416.
These results left last year’s figures in the dust after the 2023 top-priced bull sold for $70,000 with a clearance rate of 86 per cent and an average of $13,096.
Within the first five minutes of the sale, Mick Madden of Earlwood Brangus, Duringa, was blown away by the result of his first bull, Earlwood Haas, lot 75, sold for $90,000 and Earlwood Cobbo, lot 76, the second top-priced bull of the sale, which sold for $120,000 to Lindsay and Fiona Barlow, Triple B Brangus, Dingo.
Earlwood Cobbo is a 24-month-old black polled bull weighed 920kg, with a 41cm scrotum.
By the time Earlwood Riki, lot 79, strutted into the sale ring, Mr Madden couldn’t believe what was unfolding in front of him.
Earlwood Riki, a 24-month-old polled black bull weighing 842kg, sired by Tannyfoil P79 and out of Earlwood 3949, sold for $150,000, topping the sale, purchased by Triple B Brangus.
This being Mr Madden’s first time topping a sale and achieving over $100,000, he said it is an extremely overwhelming feeling.
“Going into the sale I knew the bulls would do well, I just didn’t think they would make that kind of money and top the sale,” he said.
“I have worked all of my life for a result like this and it shows that all of my hard work has finally paid off.
“This wasn’t something I was expecting at all.
“It didn’t hit me until I walked out the back and thought…what happened there.”
Mr Madden’s Earlwood Riki now holds the Australian Brangus top-priced bull record along with the 2022 record-breaker Telpara Hills Mach Five 920R4, offered by the Pearce family of Telpara Hills Brangus and Ultrablacks, Barron.
Mr Barlow told reporters they were determined to purchase Earlwood genetics, having missed an opportunity to buy the sire Tannyfoil P79 many years ago.
“You can spend a lot of money in a number of minutes and I believe these bulls were worth it,” he said.
“Earlwood had what we were looking for and unfortunately we had to break the budget to secure them.
“We were the losing bidders of the grandfather many years ago, we tried to buy the sire of these bulls but we were outdone.”
Mr Madden sold all five of his bulls for a total of $470,000 with an average price of $83,000.
Elders Rockhampton agent Randall Spann said what a way to start the sale.
“You couldn’t script it any better, overall it was an amazing sale and thanks to its terrific start that strong pricing was carried right through,” he said.
“There were a couple of places where the pricing got a bit softer but all in all it was good right throughout the catalogue.”
Brangus Australia chief executive officer Nathan Sullivan shared how the sale saw an increase on average by nearly $400 compared to last year.
“It is a hell of a result for Earlwood Brangus,” he said.
“I’m positive that Earlwood Riki is the highest bull sold at CQLX or Queensland this year, so it’s a fantastic result for the Brangus breed.
“Congratulations to everyone on such a successful sale.”
