Karoonda Hereford bulls destined for Queensland, SA after sale at Gelantipy

Pictures by Bryce Eishold

A high country Hereford stud has defied industry expectations by recording a $300 a head jump in the average bull price year-on-year in Victoria's east.

The Sykes and Hill families of Karoonda Park sold 49 bulls to 45 buyers across four Australian states on Tuesday, including as far as Queensland and South Australia.

The stud recorded a 67 per cent clearance, with 49 of 73 Hereford bulls selling to a top price of $22,000 to average $8939, a modest $307 rise compared to the last sale in 2024.

The sale result follows a challenging season for many Victorian Hereford studs, which have faced a sharp decline in average prices.

In 2024, 59 of 66 Hereford bulls to a top price of $30,000 to average $8632.

The Gelantipy stud is run by Paul and Judi Sykes and Lauren and Lynton Hill.

Mrs Hill, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Sykes, said she was pleased with the outcome of the sale after many of the stud's clients had experienced challenging seasonal conditions in the last eight months.

"We were really pleased with the consistent and even line of bulls we sold, with a lot of the bulls going to return clients," she said.

Fifty-one buyers across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and SA registered for the autumn bull sale where 23 lots were passed in at auction.

The top-priced bull of the sale, Lot 3, Karoonda Bulldozer U239, was knocked down to Richard and Caroline McRae, McRae Trading Trust, Hawkesdale, who visited the high country stud with their children Luke, 10, and Tess, 8, to purchase their seventh and eighth bulls from the stud.

Mrs Hill said Karoonda Bulldozer U239 was a standout bull in the stud from a young age.

"Last year when he was a yearling, Dad had brought a mob of bulls over to go through them, tag them and vaccinate them," she said.

"When we got the bulls into the yard, we realised we were one short and Dad went back over to the paddock where he found him chatting to a few cows over the fence.

"Dad ended up walking the bull back by himself to the yards, tattooed him, matched him up with the other bulls and walked him back again which shows how quiet he is."

Mr McRae said it was sentimental to return to the Gelantipy stud.

"Caroline used to work here at Karoonda Park, that's where I met her, so we've kept coming back to buy bulls since then," he said.

"I grew up down the road at Murrindal and moved over to western Victoria to farm and met her when I came back on holidays."

The sale topper was sired by Glenwarrah Men At Work and out of Karoonda Last Day R315.

The bull recorded estimated breeding values that included +5.5 calving ease direct and +5.2 calving ease daughters, along with -3.6 gestation length.

The catalogue noted the bull had been lightly used over heifers after the stud's autumn artificial insemination program.

Mr McRae said he had long sought to purchase a bull sired by Glenwarrah Men at Work.

"He has the muscle and the hair type that I like and has a lovely temperament," he said.

"I know what Glenwarrah Men at Work cattle do - they give you good milk and really good cows - you know what you're getting."

The McRaes also bought Lot 51, Karoonda Bandsaw U570, for $15,000.

The family runs a herd of 300 Hereford cows in western Victoria and sells cattle at 18 months of age through the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange at Mortlake each spring.

Nutrien stud stock southern region manager Peter Godbolt said the sale was a "strong success".

"It's a credit to the operation here at Karoonda," Mr Godbolt said.

"The Sykes family do an outstanding job with their clients and they're always in contact with them to see how the bulls go, that's why people come back each year."

Among the volume buyers was Alan Mitchell, Powlett River Downs, Wonthaggi, who bought Lot 17, Karoonda Bowie U259, a March 2023-drop bull for $13,000, and Lot 56, Karoonda Bricky U471, a July 2023-drop bull, for $5000.

Chris and Janine Cooper, Wulgulmerang, bought two bulls, including Lot 66, Karoonda Bullion U483, a July 2023-drop bull, for $5000, and Lot 83, Karoonda Brutus U617, an October 2023-drop bull, for $5000.

Dean Walsh, Granite Flats Pastoral, Mitta Mitta, bought two bulls, including Lot 70, Karoonda Balboa U519, for $5000 and Lot 80, Karoonda Bathurst U550, for $8000.

David Phelan, Phelan & Henderson & Co, Staceys Bridge, bought five bulls, including Lot 1, Karoonda Blueprint U456, a July 2023-drop bull, for $6000.

The bull was purchased on behalf of Hereford graziers Geroge and Lorraine Simmons, Woodside.

Ben Jones, O'Connor and Graney, Mount Gambier, SA, was among a handful of interstate buyers.

"We normally come across to Karoonda each year to buy a handful of bulls because they are very genuine cattle," Mr Jones said.

Among his purchases was Lot 48, Karoonda Barber U522, an August 2023-drop bull, which was knocked down for $13,000 on behalf of NT & FD Emerson, Winnap.

Mr Jones also bought Lot 64, Karoonda Brigadeer U444, for Munga Downs, Carpenter Rocks, SA, and Lot 21, Karoonda Brigade U294, for $6000 for his own operation, trading as BP & KL Jones, Heronslea, Dismal Swamp, SA.

One bull was also bought by a Queenslander, with Lot 42, Karoonda Bonanza U465, knocked down for $6000 to Jim Dunn, Sevenbardot Poll Herefords, Goondiwindi, Qld.

David and Kate Collins, Glenwarrah Herefords, Bundarra, NSW, bought two bulls via AuctionsPlus, including Lot 2, Karoonda Brew U358, an April 2023-drop bull, for $18,000, and Lot 8, Karoonda Benji U269, a March 2023-drop bull, for $16,000.