New entrants top Droughtmaster National Female sale amid fluctuating fortunes
A well-regarded central Queensland stud sold the top two lots at its first showing at the National Droughtmaster Female Sale at Gympie on March 22, surpassing the highest price in 2024 by $13,000 at an otherwise softer sale.
Jason and Carissa Childs and family sold Glenlands J Graceful, aged 16 months, for $34,000 to Comisky Droughtmasters of Maleny, and 17-month-old Glenlands J Golden Girl for $23,000 to first-time buyers Double F Droughtmasters, based at Clermont.
The sale's overall clearance rate was 72 per cent, about 10 per cent less than 2024's result, with 120 head sold of 167 offered under the hammer.
Buyers looking for a bargain were out in force, taking about 40 lots for $3000, resulting in an average sale price of $4900, down from $5442 in 2024.
Most buyers came from the hinterland and dividing range behind the Gold Coast north to Rockhampton, with some attendees from as far north as Mackay.
The bulk buyers were Shings Droughtmasters, near Murgon, with eight lots at an average of $4500, Aurora Droughtmasters, Cooroy, with six head at an average of $3667, and Claymore cattle Company, Buderim, with six head at an average of $3167.
Four lots went for more than $10,000 during the morning, before Glenlands J heifers were brought into the ring at lot 173, at about 1pm.
Glenlands co-owner Jason Childs said he sold at the 2025 event to have a presence at the Droughtmaster breed's largest multivendor female outlet and at the same time showcase his genetics to others in the industry.
"The top-priced female is only the second heifer sold by Glenlands Bateman: the first one went to Dan Sommers in the auction at Beef Australia 2024 and she made $57,500," Mr Childs said.
"The sale prices went above and beyond our expectations, and I was happy that our heifers went to younger studs planning to put them into IVF programs."
Comiskey Droughtmasters co-owner Steve Comiskey, Maleny, said he bought his first heifer at Beef Week 2024 from Major Droughtmasters after conversations with Dan Sommer about the breed.
"I was looking for the highest-quality female I could find going into today's sale: great pedigree, cow lines, breed lines, and physical appearance," Mr Comiskey said.
"Glenlands J Graceful is in a league of her own: I could find little to no imperfections.
"She will have a natural calf; we will let her grow out and then probably use IVF."
Double F Droughtmasters purchased the other two heifers offered by Glenlands J, after being the underbidders for the sale topper, and co-owner Lynette Fry, Clermont, said she appreciated Glenlands J Golden Girl's temperament, size for age, and overall quality.
"We have been around Droughtmasters for a long time but not in them ourselves for long: Pat grew up as a bull-rider, then my grandparents and parents had a Droughtmaster commercial operation," Ms Fry said.
"We had the opportunity to purchase our property, Waratah, at Clermont, and we are trying to start off strong with the right genetics by getting a good cow line.
"Dan Sommer gave us a big leg up with his genetics to start off, which includes a lot of Hamadra and Glenlands.
"Glenlands have been at the pinnacle for a long time, and because we have a small herd we want to go in with the best out there."
The couple outlaid $23,000 for Glenlands J Golden Girl, a 17-month-old polled heifer sired by Glenlands J Bacardi, and $17,500 for Glenlands J Gypsy Rose, another polled heifer, sired by Ridgie Didge Efficent.
A cow and calf unit offered by W and I Haviland's Sugerland stud at Rockhampton brought the sale's third top price of $18,000, paid by K Team Droughtmasters of Biloela.
The 62-month-old cow was sired by Needmor Elton, and had a heifer calf at foot.
Sugerland also sold the only joined heifer of the three offered, Sugerland Qatar, to Grafton, NSW-based Riverstone Droughtmasters for $4500.
Breaking the sale results down, nine of 11 cows and calves were sold for a top price of $18,000 and an average of $6611, a clearance rate of 82pc; one of three joined heifers were sold for a top and average price of $4500, a clearance rate of 33pc; and 110 of 153 unjoined heifers were sold for a top of $34,000 and an average price of $4763, a clearance rate of 72pc.
The total value of lots sold under the hammer on March 22 was $551,000.
Waylanbar Leanne fetched the top price at the National Droughtmaster Female sale in 2024 with $21,000, when a clearance rate of 82 per cent and gross takings of $756,500 were recorded.
Top vendor averages
- Glenlands - $24,833 av, 3/3 sold
- Annandale - $9000 av, 2/3 sold
- Jigsaw - $8000 av, 2/2 sold
- Sugerland - $5678 overall average, top $18,000 for cow and calf, 14/18 sold ($6937 c&c av, 8/11 sold; $4500 joined av, 1/1 sold; $3900 unjoined av, 5/6 sold)
- Billabong - $5500 av, 7/8 sold
- Locarno - $5300 av, 5/5 sold
- Vale View - $5055 av, 9/9 sold
- Calco - $4800 av, 5/5 sold
- Oakmore - $4600 av, 5/7 sold
- Notable - $4500 av, 2/4 sold
- Valley-View - $4500 av, 2/3 sold
- Pine Valley - $4335 av, 3/4 sold
- Ironhide - $4166 av, 3/4 sold
- RSVP - $4000 av, 7/7 sold
- Diamond Hill - $3833 av, 3/4 sold
- Bryvonlea - $3666 av, 6/6 sold
- Nindethana - $3625 av, 4/4 sold
- Reesville - $3500 av, 2/4 sold
- Rangeview - $3330 av, 3/4 sold
- Glenn Valley - $3250 av, 4/4 sold
- Michiki - $3250 av, 2/3 sold
- Calaanah - $3250 av, 2/2 sold
- 3D - $3000 av, 3/7 sold
- Yimin - $3000 av, 3/6 sold
- Saddleback - $3000 av, 3/5 sold
- Waringle - $3000 av, 2/8 sold
- Selling agents: Elders, GDL, Nutrien, interfaced with StockLive
