Record sire's sons power Banquet Angus to a $60,000 top and $23,050 average at Mortlake
Summary
A powerful draft of 13 sons by record-breaking sire Banquet Tom Cruise T220 underpinned a standout spring sale for Banquet Angus at Mortlake, which achieved a total clearance of 40 bulls to a $60,000 top price and a $23,050 average. The result lifted sharply on the 2025 spring auction, when 32 bulls cleared to a $32,000 top and an $18,343 average. The 13 sons of the record sire, who fetched $230,000 at a February 2024 sale, averaged $30,000 and included the four top-priced lots. The top bull, Lot 22 Banquet Wick W028, a February 2025-born sire, was bought by a two-family interstate syndicate spanning studs in Western Australia and South Australia for natural joining, artificial insemination and embryo transfer. It recorded TransTasman figures of +4.4kg birth weight, +60kg 200-day weight, +109kg 400-day weight, +145kg 600-day weight, +25 milk, +72kg carcase weight, +6.8sqcm eye muscle area, +2.3 intramuscular fat and +29 docility. The second top bull, Lot 5 Banquet Wickham W010, a full brother born by embryo transfer, sold for $48,000 to a pastoral company north of Inverell, NSW, to breed replacement Angus females. Ten bulls went to seven first-time clients, and many sold between $20,000 and $30,000, reflecting a strong national cattle market. Among volume buyers, one operation took three bulls to a $30,000 top and a $28,000 average.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Top price | $60,000 |
| Average price | $23,050 |
| Bulls sold | 40 (total clearance) |
| Second top price | $48,000 |
| Record sire's sons averaged | $30,000 |
| Record sire 2024 sale price | $230,000 |
| 2025 spring average | $18,343 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the top price at the Banquet Angus spring sale?
The top price was $60,000 for Lot 22, Banquet Wick W028. It was bought by a two-family interstate syndicate.
How did the sale compare with 2025?
The 2026 result was significantly higher than the 2025 spring auction, which cleared 32 bulls to a $32,000 top and an $18,343 average. The 2026 sale reached a $60,000 top and a $23,050 average across 40 bulls.
How influential was the record sire?
The record sire, Banquet Tom Cruise T220, sired 13 bulls in the catalogue, including the four top-priced lots. Those 13 sons averaged $30,000. The sire had made $230,000 at a February 2024 sale.
What did the top bull's figures include?
The February 2025-born bull recorded +4.4kg birth weight, +60kg 200-day weight, +109kg 400-day weight and +145kg 600-day weight. It also had +72kg carcase weight, +6.8sqcm eye muscle area and +2.3 intramuscular fat.
What did the second top-priced bull make and who bought it?
The second top bull, Lot 5 Banquet Wickham W010, sold for $48,000 to a pastoral company north of Inverell, NSW. A full brother of the top lot, it was born by embryo transfer and will breed replacement Angus females.
How broad was the buying support?
Ten bulls went to seven first-time clients, alongside loyal long-term buyers. Many bulls sold between $20,000 and $30,000, and bulls headed to several states.
What did volume buyers pay?
One volume buyer took three bulls to a $30,000 top and a $28,000 average. That top lot was another son of the record sire.
