Two Santa Gertrudis studs share $40,000 top price honours at the 2026 Dawson Valley Santa Sale
Summary
Two studs shared top price honours at the 2026 Dawson Valley Santa Sale, where a large crowd gathered ringside at the Taroom Showgrounds for a strong day of Santa Gertrudis bull buying. From 66 bulls on offer, 49 sold on the day for a 74 per cent clearance, a $15,142 average and a $742,000 gross, with four post-sale lots lifting the clearance to 80 per cent, the average to $14,453 and the gross to $766,000. Two lots reached an equal top price of $40,000. For comparison, last year's sale cleared 59 of 64 bulls at 92 per cent for a $13,711 average, an $809,000 gross and a $50,000 top. The first bull to hit $40,000 was a 23-month-old weighing 932 kilograms, recording 11 millimetres of rump fat, 8 millimetres of rib fat, an eye muscle area of 137 square centimetres and an intramuscular fat figure of 5.7 per cent; it will be used to join maiden heifers. The second $40,000 bull was a 25-month-old weighing 821 kilograms with 10 millimetres of rump fat, 8 millimetres of rib fat, a 122 square centimetre eye muscle area and 4.8 per cent intramuscular fat, bound for stud duties on a property running 150 to 200 cows across 1214 hectares. Four separate buyers each secured four lots, at averages ranging from $7500 to $13,000. The result was viewed as positive for the Santa Gertrudis breed, with both top-priced sires heading into established, long-running herds chasing sought-after bloodlines.
Key Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Bulls offered | 66 |
| Bulls sold on the day | 49 |
| Clearance incl. post-sale | 80% |
| Average incl. post-sale | $14,453 |
| Gross incl. post-sale | $766,000 |
| Top price | $40,000 (twice) |
| Heaviest top bull weight | 932 kg |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What were the headline results of the Dawson Valley Santa Sale?
From 66 bulls offered, 49 sold on the day for a 74 per cent clearance, a $15,142 average and a $742,000 gross. Four post-sale lots then lifted the clearance to 80 per cent, the average to $14,453 and the gross to $766,000.
What was the top price?
Two lots reached an equal top price of $40,000. The honours were shared between two vendor studs.
How did the result compare with last year?
Last year's sale cleared 59 of 64 bulls at 92 per cent for a $13,711 average and an $809,000 gross. The 2025 top of $50,000 was above this year's $40,000 tops.
What were the figures on the first $40,000 bull?
It was a 23-month-old weighing 932 kilograms, one of the heaviest bulls at the sale. It recorded 11 millimetres of rump fat, 8 millimetres of rib fat, an eye muscle area of 137 square centimetres and an intramuscular fat figure of 5.7 per cent.
What were the figures on the second $40,000 bull?
It was a 25-month-old weighing 821 kilograms with 10 millimetres of rump fat and 8 millimetres of rib fat. It had an eye muscle area of 122 square centimetres and an intramuscular fat figure of 4.8 per cent, and was bound for stud duties.
How did the volume buyers perform?
Four separate buyers each purchased four lots. Their averages ranged from $7500 to $13,000 across the selections.
Where and when was the sale held?
The sale was held at the Taroom Showgrounds on Tuesday, September 8. A large crowd congregated ringside for the day.
