Kingaroy stud secures top Droughtmaster female at Cream of the Crop sale

A last-minute decision by a Kingaroy buyer resulted in the purchase of the top-priced Droughtmaster female at the 11th annual Cream of the Crop Droughtmaster Female Sale, held at Coolabunia Saleyards on Saturday, November 30.

The sale, which attracted 46 bid card registrations, saw females sell across central and southern Queensland, as well as to one buyer from NSW.

Despite a positive seasonal outlook and a climbing cattle market, buyers were very selective in their purchases.

At the fall of the hammer, 52 out of the 86 Droughtmaster females sold from the 19 vendors, achieving a clearance rate of 60 per cent and combined sale average of $4894, which was $1039 up on last year's sale.

After sale negotiations saw these figures improve, with 58 females ending up sold, resulting in new clearance rate of 67pc and sale average of $4698.

In the breakdown of the offering, eight out of the nine joined females sold for 89pc clearance, average of $5750, and top price of $8000, while 50 out of the 77 unjoined females sold, resulting in 65pc clearance, $4530 average and top price of $12,000.

The top-priced female, Major Dijon, was purchased for $12,000 by Bernadette Welch and Lindsay Raabe, Silverleaf Droughtmasters from Kingaroy, following a competitive bidding war with underbidders Mark Pagett and Ruth Campbell of Rangeview Droughtmasters, Gympie.

Ms Welch said the the female was a "standout out".

"We came here not expecting to buy anything, but this female caught our eye straightaway," she said.

"She's got plenty of skin to grow into.

"We'll breed from her. I'm not sure what bull will join with her as of yet, but we'll see what happens."

Ms Welch runs the stud alongside her brother, John.

Catalogued by Matt and Bec Brooks and their son, Wes, of Major Droughtmasters, Wivenhoe Pocket, Major Dijon drew significant interest leading up to the sale.

"She is just a beautiful female, soft, feminine, and standing on good bone," Ms Brooks said.

"It was a difficult decision to sell her, but we're pleased with both the interest she received and the result she achieved in the ring."

Major Dijon, a polled horned female, is a daughter of Oasis Domino and out of Red Acres Helene.

Purchaser Bernadette Welch said they were only a small stud located in the Kingaroy district, running 15 Droughtmaster breeders.

The Brooks purchased Oasis Domino sire five years ago in Clermont for $26,000.

Just three lots prior, Nindethana Petria sold for the second-highest price of $11,000 to Rangeview Droughtmasters.

The 13-month-old unjoined homozygous polled female was offered by Michael Hawkins and Bronwyn Betts of Nindethana Pastoral, Camp Mountain.

Nindethana Petria is a daughter of the $160,000 Rondel Whiskey and out of Nindethana Jeana.

In the joined section of the sale, Nindethana Pastoral also achieved strong results.

The top-priced joined female was Nindethana Osram, sold for $8,000 to Breffni Droughtmasters of Chinchilla.

The 23-month-old homozygous polled female, tested in-calf to Rondel Whiskey, was sired by Nindethana Kensington and out of Eversleigh Limelight.

The second-highest price in the joined section was Nindethana Olga, a 15-week pregnant-tested female, sold for $7,500 to Cooly Droughtmasters of St George.

Olga is a daughter of Rondel Whiskey and was tested in-calf to Glenlands J Bojangles.

NSW buyer Red Roc Pty Ltd, Goulburn, purchased two females for an average price of $4250.

The top volume buyer of the sale was Lynette Fry from Clermont, who purchased four females online via StockLive, spending an average of $3750 per animal.

Vendor averages

For studs that sold two or more lots.

Kenview - 2/2 females sold, $3000 average.

Bryvonlea Droughtmasters - 6/6 females sold, $4750 av.

Brigalow Park Droughtmasters - 4/5 females sold, $3500 av.

Mingo Droughtmasters - 2/5 females sold, $3000 av.

Cebella - 2/2 females sold, $3250 av.

Major Droughtmasters - 3/3 females sold, $7833 av.

Nindethana Pastoral - 4/4 females sold, $8875 av.

RSVP Droughtmaster Stud - 5/6 females sold, $4800 av.

Seymour Droughtmasters - 4/6 females sold, $4375 av.

True Blue Droughtmasters - 4/4 females sold, $4125 av.

Vale View Droughtmasters - 8/8 females sold, $5312.50 av.

Wallace Vale & Eversleigh - 7/7 females sold, $4071 av.

Selling agents: Aussie Land and Livestock, GDL with auctioneers Mark Duthie and Corey Evans taking on auctioneer duties.