Repeat buyers the foundation of Rayleigh Poll Hereford's increased average
Sixty-eight years of solid breeding were on display at Rayleigh Poll Herefords' penultimate bull sale, at Kombali, Narrabri, on Friday, July 11.
A top price of $20,000 was paid for Rayleigh Ukraine U18, while 26 of 28 bulls sold at auction for an average $9692, due in part to a rising beef market.
The two passed-in bulls were sold within 10 minutes of the final hammer falling.
After nearly seven decades of breeding, the stud is winding up, with the female portion to be dispersed in September and the final bull sale in 2026.
Gisela and Wilf Steiner, Egerland, Coonamble, were the buyers of U18 and also paid $12,000 for Ulah U36.
Long-term Rayleigh clients, the Steiners bought the top-priced bulls at last year's sale, where 23 of 28 averaged $9562.
Rayleigh stud principal Jeff Holcombe said there was a long history between the two operations.
"I can remember Gisela's father buying bulls from my father when I was about eight years old," Mr Holcombe said.
"That's got to be 60 or so years."
Ukraine U18 was sired by Injemira Robert Redford Q287 out of an Injemira Techno P271 female.
It had an impressive data set with an estimated breeding value (EBV) of +22 for milk, birthweight (BW) +0.3, eye muscle area (EMA) +6.0 and intramuscular fat (IMF) of +2.0.
Three bulls sold for the equal second top price of $14,000. An unnamed buyer on AuctionsPlus bought Rayleigh Union U1, sired by Injemira Techno N276 out of a Rayleigh Landslide L118 female.
BR and SM Anderson, Maids Valley, Waterlock, bought Rayleigh Uncle U132. U132 was sired by Injemira Techno P271 out of a Bowen Calibre K207 female.
Michael Nott, Teston, Boggabri, bought the third bull for $14,00 in Rayleigh Ultimate U15. It, too, was sired by Injemira Techno N276 out of a Whim Park Destroyer D035 female.
Repeat buyers, RS and SJ Sykes, Bexley, Moree, were the volume bidders with six bulls topping at $8000, averaging $7333.
Another volume buyer was first-time visitors, WA Laurie, Nowendoc, with four bulls to $10,000, averaging $8000.
Mark and Casey Hodgson, Black Springs, Barraba, bought two bulls for $10,000 and $8000, while Wal-Anne Pastoral Company, Haden, Queensland, paid $12,000 for Rayleigh Unanimous U52.
The auctioneer John Settree, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Dubbo, said the bulls presented buyers with good phenotype and data to assist their selection.
"The bulls had good skin, strong spines, shape and carcase," he said.
The selling agents were Nutrien Ag Solutions, with AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.
