NIOA and RL pastoral companies have marked a successful return to the on-property auction ring with a full clearance at their third annual joint sale.
After two years of American-style video selling, the two Santa Gertrudis studs showed off the best of their best last month in a hangar-turned-all-weather sale barn at NIOA Pastoral Company’s Talgai Homestead near Allora.
Against the backdrop of a huge Australian flag, bidders voted with their hands and feet – with the stands packed, plus many more watching the livestream through StockLive and all 51 bulls finding new homes.
Buyers came from Queensland’s southeast corner to properties in Cloncurry, Richmond and Hughenden in the northwest, southwest to Cunnamulla, north to Clermont, Nebo, Marlborough, Taroom on the Western Downs, the NSW Northern Rivers region and as far as Tasmania.
Repeat buyer Craig Ross of Ross Grazing, Kemmis Creek, Nebo led the charge, snapping up four head – three Riverina bulls and one NIOA bull – for an outlay of $56,500 including the Lot 4 sale-topper Riverina Tambo T20 (P) for $22,500.
The first bull up in the NIOA draft was Lot 9 – the 24-month-old NIOA Utah U11 (P) weighing in at 1095kg with an eye muscle of 134sq cm, IMF of 7.4 per cent, rib scan 20 and scrotal circumference of 41cm. The son of Tookey Creek N24 (P) out of Rosevale Ada N353 (P) is now on his way to Taroom, Queensland after the Brigadoon Cattle Company paid $15,000.
Riverina Santa Gertrudis catalogued 12 Classified S heifers with 11 selling under the stick and one afterwards for an average of $4045.
Sale manager and RL Pastoral’s Rob Sinnamon, presiding over his 35th santa stud sale, was pleased with the results while the initial feedback on the revised format proved it was the right decision.
“I reckon we had 100 bid cards or more and there would’ve been 200 people here,” he said.
“A lot of people enjoy being able to see the cattle (in the sale ring) – and seeing them easy from a good vantage point. We will certainly be continuing with this, with a few improvements.
“(Overall) there’s a lot more confidence re-emerging in the industry and I think that’s been reflected (today), while it’s still a little reserved, we saw a total clearance – that is something we strived to do.”
Similarly, NIOA Santa Gertrudis general manager Shannon Gardner said the success of the event combined with growing industry confidence set a positive tone for future selling seasons including next year with the first sons of Australian breed record breakers Yarrawonga Spartacus S316 (P) and Riverina Roland Sanchez R88 (PP).
“I think it’s been a great result for a smaller stud within the industry. We were very happy to receive $15,000 for Lot 9 to a repeat buyer in Brigadoon (Cattle Co),” he said.
“And that’s one of the things that stood out today – the number of repeat buyers who are back for their third, fourth and fifth year. It shows that we must be doing something right.
“The comments today were around the consistency of our bulls, we had some younger cattle on display here from the genetics of Spartacus and Sanchez and received very positive feedback. I think our line next year will really shine.”
Key highlights:
* 71 lots were sold.
* 51 bulls sold for a clearance rate of 100 per cent.
* 46 Classified S bulls sold for an average of $7728 while five commercial bulls sold for an average of $6200.
* Top-priced bull: Lot 4, Riverina Tambo T20 (P) sold to Ross Grazing for $22,500.
* Second top: Lot 9, NIOA Utah U11 (P), sold to Brigadoon Cattle Co. for $15,000.
* The stud heifers sold for an average of $4045 with Lots 62 Riverina Tara T11 and 71 Riverina Taliah T49 (P) the sale toppers at $5000 each.
* Two 10-straw semen packages were offered: Lot 57 (Riverina Roland Sanchez R88 (PP) (ET)) sold at auction for $10,000 to Dangerfield Cattle Co, Taroom while Lot 56 (Yarrawonga Spartacus S316 (P)) sold after for $4000.
