Comprehensive breakdown: 16-month-old heifer exceeds $60k at Gympie Brahman Sale
They're known for selling top Brahman females but Rockstar's first time buying heifers at auction resulted in a record falling at the Gympie Brahman Female Sale on Saturday, June 7.
Royce and Beryl Sommerfeld, Maryborough, sold Brahrock Miss Talla Lady 7540 to Lynda and Stuart Vollmerhausen of Rockstar, Theebine for the record breaking sale high of $62,000, in front of a crowd of about 200 people.
Rockstar set the previous record of $57,500 with their heifer Rockstar Monica 251 at the 2024 sale.
At the conclusion of selling this year, 76 of 96 female sold for an 80 per cent clearance, $7256 average and $551,500 gross.
FREE CONTENT: FACES OF GYMPIE BRAHMAN FEMALE SALE
Another seven head were sold after the conclusion of bidding.
The clearance was on par with last year while the average was slightly less than the $7463 of 2024.
The record-breaking heifer was a 16-month-old polled grey Brahman by Lancefield S Talladega 5282/1 and out of NCC Nova 5624, the latter having won champion female calf at Beef Week 2021.
Mr Sommerfeld said Miss Talla Lady had an exceptional temperament thanks to her mother's bloodlines.
"She is the only heifer of her brothers and sisters by Lancefield S Talladega that we have not retained in our stud herd," Mr Sommerfeld said.
"I thought she had outstanding bone for a grey polled Brahman."
Mr Vollmerhausen was convinced to buy the female just off of paper, before he had seen her, such was the value of her bloodlines.
He said the Rockstar stud was only where it was today because of Mr Sommerfeld, from whom he and Mrs Vollmerhausen had bought their first Brahmans.
"It takes a long time to develop genetics of the quality offered by Brahrock," Mr Vollmerhausen said.
"We will put Miss Talla Lady in calf...and then flush her to breed with IVF."
Underbidders on the record priced female were Greengrass Developments, Charters Towers, who finished as bulk buyer with seven lots averaging $12,286.
Clukan Brahmans principals Steve and Theresa Taylor, Jambin, sold the top price red heifer to first time vendors and best-presented red pen winners, Ruby Park Brahmans at Goomboorian, for $13,500.
Clukan Ruby 474/4 was a 21-month-old daughter of Nioka Pablo and Clukan Shanoa 347/7.
Ruby Park principal Heather Bowditch said they had straws from American bulls they would use on the female in an IVF program with Vytelle.
"Her bone and temperament were the big things we bought her for," Ms Bowditch said. "Her bloodlines too."
Grey Brahmans fetched a premium of about $3000 more than reds across the sale, with 51 grey lots going for a gross of $419,000 and an average of $8215, compared to 25 red lots selling for a gross of $132,500 and an average of $5300.
The 16 highlight lots that Brahrock, Brahrock N, Rockstar, Clukan, Nicneil and Ruby Park sold for more than $10,000 pushed the average sale price about $2750 above the median of $4500.
Polled or scurred heifers fetched a premium of about $215 on horned cattle, selling for $8098 on average compared to $7885 for horned.
The 12 lots marked as pregnancy tested in calf sold for a premium of $2497 on other cattle, fetching $10,083 on average compared to $7587 for other lots.
Elders agent Mark Scholes said buyers were better informed on cattle quality and genetics in 2025, enabling them to make a decision about whether to bid well before the sale.
"High quality genetics always generate interest, regardless of where we are in the market cycle," Mr Scholes said.
"Looking towards spring, I think this result tells us we will either have high clearance rates or high average prices at any given bull sale, but not both at the same time."
Vendor averages for studs that sold two or more head
- Barambah sold two of four to average $3000
- Brahrock sold 16 of 16 to average $13,750
- Brahrock HJ sold two of two to average $7500
- Brahrock MT sold two of three to average $5000
- Brahrock N sold five of five to average $8700
- Clukan sold two of two to average $13,250
- Ekali sold three of three to average $5833
- Eskwood sold four of five to average $3375
- Little Creek sold two of five to average $3500
- Mogul sold three of three to average $3333
- Moonstone sold two of three to average $3250
- Narcona sold two of three to average $3000
- NK sold two of four to average $3750
- Rockstar sold five of five to average $12,400
- Rocky Hill sold two of three to average $3000
- Ruby Park sold three of three to average $6667.
Selling agents: Elders, Nutrien, GDL and Sullivan Livestock.
