National Braford Sale reaches new heights: clearance, average and top rise

A breed record reached twice, an improved clearance and a $2555 rise in average price - this year's National Braford Sale won't be forgotten easily.

Those in the stands at CQLX Gracemere on Monday, September 8, knew they were witnessing something for the history books, verified when the final results were called out.

Overall, 157 of 174 bulls sold for a 90 per cent clearance, an average of $13,477, and a gross of $2,116,000.

Prices peaked at $60,000 twice, surpassing the previous record of $50,000 set in 2021.

In comparison, in 2024, 142 of 160 bulls sold for an 88 per cent clearance, $10,922 average and $45,000 top.

Females also improved with all six selling to average $7166 and top at $11,000 compared with three averaging $5333 and topping at $7000 the year prior.

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Two long-standing Braford studs were rewarded for their multiple decades of breeding when they shared the $60,000 top price and, in doing so, rewrote the breed's record price for a bull in Australia.

The first to achieve it was MCN Dalray, offered by McNamara Partnership, Bell.

He was knocked down to Helen Hunt, Budgerie Brafords, Coonamble, NSW.

The bull was a 26-month-old son of Donrinda Menzies, who also sired last year's $45,000 sale topper, and out of MCN C2795A, who weighed 918 kilograms with a 147 square centimetre eye muscle area.

Buyer Helen Hunt said she came to the sale to secure three bulls to join to her herd of around 60 stud females and 100 commercial females.

She hadn't purchased from the sale since 2022, but ended up leaving with four bulls averaging $33,000.

"A couple will just go to a commercial herd, and I'll sort it out when I get home," she said.

"I was looking for the best bulls in the yard."

Ms Hunt was on the losing end of the bidding war for the other $60,000 record price bull, Carinya Duke, who was knocked down to Stuart and Janelle Dingle, Chasewater Brafords, Mt Perry.

Offered by the Amor family of Dulacca, who have just ticked over 60 years of breedings, Carinya Duke was a 33-month-old son of Carinya Alfie and Carinya 2658.

He weighed 1016 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat depths of 16 and 10mm, a 141sq cm EMA and 5.5 IMF.

Mr Dingle spotted the bull online but was convinced he was the best bull in the yards when he saw him the Thursday before the sale.

"He's got everything we're looking for in the stud; he's got good conformation, beautiful underline, great muscling, evenness and a great top line on him," she said.

"He's got good morphology [78pc] and motility [80pc] results that we look for in our stud, and I think he'll do a lot for us."

The bull will have semen collected for in-herd use and be joined to the stud's female herd, which includes 55 registered females and 15 maiden heifers.

"He'll have a line of females by one of the very first bulls that I got started with that's done a lot for me, Carinya Talbot," he said.

"I bred a line of females from him, out of homebred classified cows, and females that I bought over the time, so he'll go back over those and fit into there."

He said it was a very surreal feeling to have a breed record holder headed to their "relatively small stud".

"We really liked the bull and we put some money aside and we thought, if we're gonna do this properly, we've got to do it right, so we reckon he is going to progress us forward instead of just sitting in that flat lining in the middle."

NSW-based stud Eldon Court, owned by Ellwyn and Donna Croake, Ilford, had a sale to remember when all of their six bulls sold and averaged $25,666.

Carinya had the second-best average of the day with 14 bulls at $25,643, while MCN's 13 averaged $19,384.

MCN stud principal Don McNamara, who has been breeding Brafords since 1968, said it was a rewarding feeling, not just for the stud but for the breed.

"It's a very good day for the breed," he said.

"They started off with a very strong run of bulls, which got our sale off to a good start, I feel, and that's probably set the pace for the whole day, and I was very pleased."

"We're aiming for good feet and good sheaths and early maturity; a product that you can turn off at any time."

Despite an increased starting price of $6000, bulk and commercial buyers were unfazed.

The biggest order was fulfilled by Tennyson Holdings, Taroom, who bought 15 bulls averaging $13,600, and topping at $26,000 twice.

The top price female was Chadwick Downs Abby U202, offered by Chadwick Downs Pty Ltd, Coonabarabran, NSW, and bought by Brackloon Grazing, Blackwater.

The 22-month-old daughter of Carinya Antonio was offered pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Argentina bull, Lego.

Vendor averages

(for prefixes with at least two sold under the hammer)

Eldon Court - 6/6 average $25,666

Carinya - 14/14 average $25,643

MCN - 13/13 average $19,384

Linlora - 7/7 average $16,428

Little Valley - 15/16 average $14,533

Harriett Valley - 11/12 bulls average $12,772, 4/4 heifers average $5750

Chadwick Downs - 7/7 bulls average $12,714, 2/2 heifers average $10,000

Downfall Creek - 3/3 average $12,666

Abernethy - 7/7 average $11,714

Ascot - 8/8 average $10,875

Strathgyle - 12/12 average $10,167

Neimen - 6/6 average $9666

Chasewater - 4/5 average $9250

Double C - 4/4 average $9250

Ashby - 5/5 average $9000

Beacon - 9/10 average $8666

Glynelly - 2/2 average $8000

Taroela - 6/8 average $8000

Boomerang - 4/4 average $7500

Sunny Lawn - 6/7 average $7166

Colorado - 2/5 average $6000

Goomora - 2/3 average $6000

• Selling agents: Elders, GDL, Nutrien