Lost on the sire, took home the son: strong result at Dawson Valley Santa sale

It was the perfect day for a win in the sale ring in Taroom on Tuesday, September 9, with the top-priced buyers at the 2025 Dawson Valley Santa Sale seizing the opportunity to take home genetics they missed out on three years ago.

Attendees gathered to the Taroom Showgrounds for the chance to take home bulls offered by Jamie and Alison Becker, Jamally Santa Gertrudis stud, Alkoomie, Taroom, Luke and Carly Baker, Annabranch Santa stud, Wandoan, Trent Ciesiolka, Valleyview, Oakey, and Alan and Jocelyn Nock, Red Mile Santas, Deepbank, Mundubbera.

Of the 64 bulls offered at the sale, 59 sold for a 92 per cent clearance and a $13,711 average.

Overall, the sale grossed $809,000.

Bidding on the top-priced bull, Jamally Valentine Holmes V6, was highly competitive, with Thangool-based buyers Shaun and Jo McGuigan, Cree Santa Gertrudis, eventually taking him home with a winning bid of $50,000.

For comparison, in 2024, 58 out of 70 bulls sold for 82 per cent clearance and a $10,784 average.

The 2024 sale grossed $630,000, and the top-priced bull sold for $37,500.

Jamally Valentine Holmes, offered by Jamie and Alison Becker, Jamally Santa Gertrudis, Alkoomie, Taroom, was sired by Rosevale Shanghai S598 and out of Jamally Sporty S34.

The 24-month-old bull weighed in at 932kg, had an eye muscle area of 143 square centimetres, with 21mm of rump fat and 16mm of rib fat.

Top-price buyers Shaun and Jo McGuigan were underbidders to the Beckers on their newly purchased bull's sire, Rosevale Shanghai S598, in 2022, and said the purchase of Jamally Valentine Holmes was a redemption of sorts.

"We've had our eye on Jamie and Allie's cattle for a while, and three years ago, we were the losing bidder to the sire of this lot," Mr McGuigan said.

"We came back this year, particularly, to have a look at that bloodline."

The bull is bound for the McGuigan's stud, Cree Santa Gertrudis, Thangool, where he will be put over second-calf heifers as part of the McGuigan's stud herd.

"That is something that bears mentioning; the performance in these cattle of Jamie's," Mr McGuigan said.

"When I say the performance, I mean the HERD recording these guys are starting to do.

"It's something that's attracting us to their cattle, because we know we've got a certain probability of how the offspring will perform."

Top-priced vendor Jamie Becker said the McGuigan's purchase was a testament to a long history of competitive bidding between the studs.

"We've battled it out on a few bulls over the years, and my father battled it out with Sean when he was a bit younger," he said.

Another hotly contested lot, Annabranch Versatile V8, sold for just shy of the $50,000 mark.

Offered by Luke and Carly Baker, Annabranch Santa stud, Wandoan, the 16-month-old bull sold for $48,000 to Bevan and Maree Pearce, Bendalla Santas, Longreach.

He was sired by Glenn Oaks Palo P1211 and out of Annabranch S63.

Bulk buyers at the sale included D and J Pobar, Roma, who purchased four head for an average of $6250, and Dack Cattle Company, Eurombah East, Taroom, who also purchased four head, for an average of $7000.

• Agents: Nutrien and TopX