Confidence up as Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale hits $120,000 on day one

Buyer confidence was stronger than last year as the 2025 Rockhampton Brahman Week Sale opened on Monday, October 6, with day one results showing lifts in clearance rates, average prices, and a top price of $120,000.

Day one of the sale saw 240 out of 250 bulls sold, 12 more than in 2024, achieving a 96 per cent clearance rate, up 5 per cent points on last year, with an average price of $11,622, a $1710 increase.

The top price reached $120,000, up $50,000 from last year, bringing the total gross to $2,785,500, an increase of $525,500.

It was Tony and Kathryn Mortimer and family of Token Brahmans, Dalma, who took top honours on Monday, selling Token Playboy for the $120,000 bid to Peter and Joy Newman, Rathlyn Brahman stud, Laglan Pastoral Company Pty Ltd, Emerald.

The bull was purchased at the sale through the Newmans buyer representative, Robert Murray, Murray Livestock and Land, Gracemere.

The bull was sold with a three-quarter share, full possession, with 50 straws of semen included in the sale.

He was a son of the $210,000 Clukan Baobab and out of the $30,000 NCC Jusitfied daughter Elrose Bling and boasted a 90 per cent morphology test.

Underbidder on the bull was Northern Vet Services, Goolalingo, NT.

The 31-month-old weighed 930 kilograms, had an eye muscle area of 142 square centimetres, P8 and rib fat depths of 12 and nine millimetres and an intramuscular fat of 5.5pc.

Purchaser Joy Newman said the bull immediately stood out to her, first catching her eye in the catalogue and later on social media.

"I admired his sire appeal and how he tracked; it's hard to find bulls with a strong, straight topline like his. His figures are impressive too," Ms Newman told Queensland Country Life.

Ms Newman said the combination of physical appearance and breeding potential made the bull special.

"We've purchased genetics from Token before. It's helpful that vendors share photos and videos online, especially when you can't be there in person," she said.

The Newmans run a stud herd of about 400 Brahman cows and breed their own paddock bulls for their commercial property north west of Clermont, Lagland Station, which currently runs up to 12,000 head.

"We're always balancing breeding for carcase quality and introducing polled genetics," Ms Newman said.

"This bull fits well with our herd and'll go on to stud duties here."

Token Brahmans stud principal Tony Mortimer, still buzzing from the Brisbane Broncos' Sunday night premiership win, said it was a pleasing result for the family.

"We aim to breed the best bulls we can. We don't expect to top the sale, but it's great when others appreciate what we breed," Mr Mortimer said.

Mr Mortimer said the dam of the top sire purchased in partnership with Nev and Megan Hansen, Oaklands Stud, Kalapa, for $30,000 at the 2020 Lancefield Sale.

"She was the first heifer to be sold and sired by NCC Justified," Mr Mortimer said.

Token Playboy also claimed the junior champion Brahman bull at the 2024 Queensland Royal Show.

Mr Mortimer also acknowledged the losing bidder on Token Playboy, Tony Hayne, Northern Vet Services, who has previously bid on high-value bulls from the Mortimers.

"In 2019, we sold Token Joe 693/7 (P) for $100,000, and Tony Hayne was actually the losing bidder," he said.

"In both sales, he missed out on those bulls but then bought bulls later in our run. He's been very good to us, Tony."

The Token prefix overall had a strong day, selling all 12 bulls offered at an average price of $21,416.

The sale got off to a flying start with the first lot of the day, Youngers Freddo, offered by Chris and Deyon Younger, Mingo, selling for $80,000 into stud duties to Yoman Brahmans Stud, Moura.

Sired by Glen Oak Mr Frodo and out of Brahrock Mt Harper, the 23-month-old IVF polled scurred sire weighed 885kg, measured 43cm in the scrotum, scanned 10mm and 7mm, respectively, for P8 and rib fats, 143sq cm for EMA and 4.8pc for IMF.

Wilson Grazing paid $55,000 to secure the third top price bull, Hazelton Eastwood 6748, offered by Hazelton Brahmans, Blackwood, Middlemount.

Sired by Elrose Exception 19519 and out of Hazelton Cigarillo, the 32-month-old tipped the scales at 1030kg, measured 45cm in the scrotum, scanned 14mm and 12mm, respectively, for P8 and rib fats, 146sq cm for EMA and 5.7pc for IMF.

Among the higher-priced bulls at the sale were Ahern Gad 1710 and Ekali Rollo 52, each selling for $40,000 to Nobbs Pastoral and Fenech Brahmans of Wowan, respectively. Close behind were Clukan Kentucky, which sold for $37,500 to Ponderosa, NT, and Mountain Springs Hefner, matched at the same price and sold online to CJ Mahon of Bauhinia.

Bulls that made between $37,500 and $32,500 continued the strong results. MCL Hombre was sold for $35,000 to Karmoo Pastoral Company, Clermont, while Tango Benedict also achieved $35,000, heading to Fenech Brahmans. Yenda V 1072 sold for $32,500 to Mutation Brahmans of Capella. The exact price was paid for Doonside 2996, offered by WR Geddes of Doonside Brahmans, Rockhampton, which went to the Scott family of Yacamunda Investments Pty Ltd, Collinsville. Also fetching $32,500 was BTS Iceman, offered by Warren Backhouse, Lower Wonga, and purchased by Viva Brahmans.

Bulls that made between $32,500 and $30,000 rounded out the top-selling group. Clukan T Dusty was sold for $30,000 to Ponderosa, NT, while Bar Boot Quantico also reached $30,000, going to the Curley family of Cloncurry. R and J Jacobsen of Kunwarara purchased Clukan T Bossa for $30,000, and Clukan T Macka made the same price, heading to El Ja J Brahmans, Theodore. Rounding out the group, Ekali Bjor,n 3,6 sold for $30,000 to 8PK Pastoral of Middlemount.

• Selling agents: Nutrien Ag Solutions, Elders, and GDL.