Breaking donkey tops Hot Spot multi-vendor Speckle Park auction
The third annual Hot Spot Multi-Vendor Speckle Park Autumn Affair auction, held online via Stocklive on Saturday, March 22, proved to be a success despite the challenging market conditions.
Hosted live on property at Ivery Downs, Colinton, the auction featured a strong offering from 10 Speckle Park studs and several commercial beef operations from across Australia's east coast.
The auction saw 27 out of 29 females sold, achieving a 93 per cent clearance rate and $5481 average.
The high seller was lot 22, Pemberton Gigi T05, which was offered by Pemberton Speckle Park, Glenquarry, NSW, was knocked down for $7500 to Mt Luke Speckle Park, Cabarlah.
Gigi T05 was the first natural calf out of Blue Spark L101 Gigi R04, a female Pemberton purchased back in 2021.
T05 was sired by Johner Stock Farm Unmarked 2D and was running with EBB U57 bull prior to sale.
Meanwhile, all 16 potential show steer and heifer prospects were sold, with the highest price going to lot 47, Born Ready Speckle Park first cross steer, which reached $2300.
Offered by Born Ready Speckle Park stud, the Shorthorn-cross purebred Speckle Park steer was sired by Born Ready Trooper.
Overall, the 16 steers and heifers averaged $1569.
In 2024, 30 of 33 females sold, resulting in a 91 per cent clearance, $37,500 top and $8917 average, while 12 of 24 bulls sold to an $8000 high, twice, and averaged $5024. All unsold females and several of the bulls were sold immediately after that sale.
A unique highlight of Saturday's sale was lot 31, Cash, a breaking donkey offered by Troy Hepburn, Fox Tail Hill Speckle Park, which sold for a sale-high $8000 to Nicole Oldfield and Tom French and family of Oakleigh Speckle Park, Dayboro.
Cash, a jack, was two and a half-year-old donkey that had been trained to teach cattle to lead in the show ring.
According to the sale catalogue, Cash has broken in numerous cattle from all breeds.
Nicole Oldfield said they purchased Cash as they liked that he was a "potentially a dual purpose" donkey.
"Not only will he be a guardian donkey to protect our Canadian embryo calves that are due in April from the wild dogs, he is also trained to lead cattle," Ms Oldfield said.
"This will make our lives easier when training the cattle for showing.
"Speckle park is the feature breed at the Ekka this year and we are hoping to have a small team entered to compete for the top prize."
MAK Agriculture from Gulgong emerged as the volume buyer, securing six purebred females at $5250 average throughout the auction.
Ivery Downs Speckle Park stud principal and promoter of the Hot Spot auction, Stacey Jones welcomed the sale result.
"The market is pretty tough at the moment, so achieving such a high clearance rate and solid averages is something the entire vendor group is very proud of," Ms Jones said.
"We saw a lot of new names and faces bidding on, and ultimately purchasing the lots - it is fantastic to see the breed continuing to attract new interest.
"We look forward to seeing everyone back on farm on September 20 for the Hot Spot Spring Fling, which will include purebred bulls and females, plus commercial lots."
- Selling agents: Gilliland Livestock Marketing Pty Ltd, simulcast on Stocklive.
