New record top for Greenup Eidsvold Station sale, average also rises 37pc
The Greenup family of Eidsvold Station hit new heights at their on-property Santa Gertudis bull sale on Thursday, September 18.
Of the sale draft, 109 of 122 sold to average $13,408 and gross $1,461,500 for a 90 per cent clearance rate to a packed stand of stud and commercial buyers at Belvedere, near Eidsvold.
This year's average rose by more than 37pc when compared to the 2024 average of $9773 that saw a clearance of 97pc and gross of $1,133,668.
The standout of the draft was lot 81, Greenup Apollo V222, sired by Eidsvold Napoleon N888 and out of Greenup Clover.
Apollo sold for $120,000 over the phone to renowned Santa Gertudis stud Yarrawonga, with Russell Yeates bidding on behalf of stud principal Andrew Bassingthwaighte.
Bidding for the top-priced sire commenced at $30,000 and jumped significantly, with Ben Adams from Dangarfield Santa Gertrudis. Taroom, the underbidder.
Apollo was the first bull that the stud had retained semen in for over a decade and was shifted in the catalogue to be the lead bull in the ring for the annual sale.
He weighed 986 kilograms, scanned an eye muscle area of 136 square centimetres, measured 13 millimetres P8 and 11mm rib fat, recorded 5.3pc intramuscular fat, and had a scrotal circumference of 42cm.
The homozygous polled bull was a trait leader for growth and carcase weight estimated breeding values.
"If superior weight for age is your objective - then mark this bull down," the catalogue said.
Mr Bassingthwaite was after a dark red bull that had the right balance of genetics and phenotypic punch combined with performance data, and was originally tossing up between lots 81 and 83 in the sale.
"To find a bull with that much power, 100kg heavier than anything else in the draft, with fat scans of 11 and 13, and from the best female line Rick has on his place, you just can't afford not to buy him," he said.
"He's a bit of a freak bull with everything right about him.
"We'll give him a fair what of cows - we're excited to see what he comes up with."
The second-top bull was Greenup Vaughn V392, out of Greenup R249 and out of Eidsvold Station Noble N896.
Vaughn sold to Rainbow Partnership for $47,500.
He weighed 746kg, scanned an EMA of 125sq cm, measured 12mm P8 and 8mm rib fat, recorded 5.4pc IMF, and had a scrotal circumference of 41cm.
Rainbow Partnership also secured the third-top-priced bull of the day, paying $40,000 for Eidsvold Station Vigil V50.
Bulk buyer of the day was the Kirkwood family trust, Disney, near Clermont, who secured a line of 11 bulls at an average spend of $13,273.
There was also noticeable action on AuctionsPlus throughout the catalogue, with several bulls knocked down to online bidders.
Stud principal Rick Greenup said the sale marked a milestone for the family.
"It was nervous optimism leading into the sale - we've had great feedback from clients, but you never know how the market will go," he said.
"To achieve a record like that for our stud was pretty amazing.
"Apollo just popped out of the herd as a real outlier and curve bender - heavier than anything else we had, soft, fertile, a great temperament, and so balanced across all traits."
He said retaining semen in the bull before the sale reflected the family's confidence in his genetic potential.
"We haven't retained semen in a bull for probably 15 years, but we did it with him a couple of days before the sale because we thought that much of him," Mr Greenup said.
He said that whilst they find more satisfaction in selling bulk numbers of bulls for consistent results, the unexpected new record for the prefix had made him quite emotional.
"It was the first time in a long time I'd been nervous about what a bull might make, and to see him reach that figure... for a top stud like Yarrawonga to put their faith in him is outstanding," he said.
- Agents: GDL, Elders, Auctions Plus
