All eyes on Nampara Angus sire with figures, phenotype at buoyant bull sale

Many eyes in the Angus breed were on Nampara Eyes On You V61 ahead of the Hann family's annual bull sale at Lucindale so it was no surprise that the lot 2 bull made the $70,000 sale high.

The 950 kilogram bull was also a favourite of stud principals Stuart and Natalie Hann for his outstanding combination of phenotype and figures and exceptional docility.

"He is one of the most complete bulls we have ever bred with his beautiful nature, weight for age, figures and type without sacrificing anything," Mrs Hann said.

Mr Hann said the March 2024 drop's structural scores were close to perfect.

He also had a tremendous spread of figures from a moderate birth weight of +2.8 to a massive 600 day weight of +143- in the top 12pc of the breed.

V61 was also in the top 1pc of the breed for docility and top 14pc for eye muscle area.

As the bull entered the ring, Elders auctioneer Ross Milne said the sale topper's United States sire, EG Eyes on You, was dead and semen was not longer available but this was "probably his best son".

Nampara stud has retained 50 per cent of the semen and marketing rights.

For the third time year in four years, Greg Fisher, C.R Pastoral Co, Clover Ridge, Woolumbool, secured the sale topper - although this time he had to pay double last year's top price of $35,000.

Elders southern livestock sales manager Laryn Gogel, who is Mr Fisher's agent and advisor, said they had heard many comments about Eyes on You but when they laid eyes on him were impressed by his power and presence.

"He is a stand alone calf, he has got data, pedigree which is new for Greg and that punch makes him most appealing," he said.

Mr Gogel said CR Pastoral Co kept returning to Nampara to buy top end sires because they performed.

"We like to buy where we know the bulls will stand up to the rigours of Clover Ridge," he said.

"The bulls have always gone back to Clover Ridge and stood up on the sandy country.

"They don't break down and they don't let you down and you can see their females following along from generation to generation."

A couple of lots later, Nampara Vancouver V200, which had also been in the reserve champion pen of three bulls at the 2025 World Angus Forum in Tamworth, NSW, also attracted strong competition.

He sold for the $32,000 second highest price to McBride Operations for their bull breeding operation at Telopea Downs.

The bull, which was the junior interbreed champion bull at the 2025 Royal Adelaide Show, was sired by Chiltern Park Moe M6 and out of a top donor female.

McBride Operations general manager Drew Maxwell said they ran about 180 registered females at Telopea Downs to breed 50 to 60 herd bulls for the company's South East properties.

He said Vancouver's "growth, carcase and really good structure" made him the top choice

"We are looking at different genetics we haven't had in the herd at the moment, I used a bit of Moe last year but when I saw this bull I was impressed, I think he will breed some good bulls and good females," he said.

"There are some really good AI bulls out there that are short statured and I am hoping the cows out of this guy and some of the other AI bulls we are using will allow us to use some of those smaller statured ones in the future as well."

McBride Operations also bought lot 65, Nampara V68, for $16,000.

Overall, 77 of 82 bulls sold through the ring for a $12,493 average - one of the highest SA Angus Week averages.

The average was up nearly $3000 on last year where they sold 82 of 102 bulls.

Mr and Mrs Hann said they were grateful for the support from their clients and their willingness to bid with 37 bulls making more than $10,000.

"On the better bulls they stepped in and just kept going which was pretty good for us," Mr Hann said.

"Everyone is hurting after a tough year - for us that is a pretty good result."

Mrs Hann said they were rapt with the doing ability of the sale bulls which averaged 880kg in a challenging season.

This included 22 bulls which had been used over their commercial PTIC sale heifers for an eight week joining last year.

It was also great to see their clients topping the Naracoorte and Mortlake weaner sales, Mrs Hann said.

Among the volume buyers were the Gould family, Cortina, Lucindale, with six bulls to $20,000, averaging $13,833 for them and LS Johnson & Son, Naracoorte, who took home five bulls to $14,000 and averaged $10,000.

This year for the first time Nampara held an online opportunity sale after their Vic Beef Week where they sold 16 young bulls to a $17,000 high.

Despite this there was still plenty of western Victorian action at the SA sale.

Mr Milne said the evenness of the offering was reflected in high prices throughout the catalogue.

"Bulls that ticked a few boxes from growth and versatility and calving that they could use use on heifers and then go with their cows the following year were well sought after," he said.

Elders Mount Gambier conducted the sale.