Goalkeeper sons score well with buyers at Pathfinder's huge SA Angus sale

Commercial breeders from four states meant business at Pathfinder Angus stud's SA bull sale, with many willing to chase their picks to $14,000 to $16,000 or more.

It was bull after bull throughout the huge offering making these prices and beyond, rather than any spectacular lots making big money, which made the sale a big success.

The Moyle family reclaimed the title of SA Angus Week's highest averaging sale.

In a two-and-a-half hour selling marathon they sold 129 of 131, largely grassfed bulls, for a $12,767 average.

This was a lift of nearly $3000 on last year's sale when 124 of 131 lots sold.

The majority of the offering were March and April 2024-drops, although the 30 younger spring-drop bulls offered late in the catalogue were also keenly sought after.

Twenty-nine of these averaged $10,966.

Baldridge Goalkeeper sons sold particularly well, including lot 36, Pathfinder Goalkeeper V208, which topped the sale at $30,000.

The March 2024-drop was one of the heaviest in the draft at 912 kilograms.

Goalkeeper V208 impressed Gary Bowyer and his son Ryan, Powerscourt Pastoral, Robe, with his "type" and exceptional muscle pattern.

"I thought he might have been out of my league (price-wise) with bulls at a couple of other sales making more than $30,000," he said.

"He should do a lot of good. We don't want to have any bigger cows, just maintain the frame and thicken up the calves."

The Bowyers' herd has been on Pathfinder bloodlines since the early 2000s.

Each year they line up a stand out draft of weaners in Naracoorte.

Another long time client, Phil Cooper, Chameleon Investments, Kingston SE, and his agent Elders Kingston's Nick Downward, set the early pace selecting lot 11, Pathfinder Powerplant V33, for $26,000 - the sale's second highest price.

By US sire Roseda Powerplant, the bull had growth figures all ranking in the top 1pc of the breed.

There were nearly 60 registered bidders ringside but there was also strong online interest with 291 logins watching the sale according to AuctionsPlus.

Five active bidders had 105 bids and secured 15 bulls.

This included another Goalkeeper son, lot 69, Pathfinder - a bull with both high growth data and an eye muscle area of +11.4.

It sold for $25,000 to Tasmania.

Leading the volume buyer list was Nonning Pastoral Company who found some great value, averaging $9375 for their eight.

Also buying well was the Broad family, Old Canowie Cattle Co, Jamestown, with seven bulls to $9000, averaging $7857.

Michael Cobiac, Saltwell Pastoral Company, Kingston SE, also took home seven bulls, four of which were impressive spring-drops. He paid to $16,000 twice.

Kumara SE, Kalangadoo, bought seven spring drops.to a $13,000 high.

Craig Waldron bought five bulls for a $16,800 average on behalf of James and Fiona Paterson, JHW Paterson & Sons, to go into their western Vic properties.

"We found them (Pathfinder bulls) on figures and then looked at them and liked the phenotype of the bulls," Mr Waldron said.

"We were looking for high end bulls with balanced figures to improve our cow herd."

The large scale family business - which also owns the 25,000 head Hells Gate Feedlot at Balranald, NSW - have previously bought bulls privately from Pathfinder but left their mark buying at the SA sale for the first time.

Tom Moyle said they were thrilled to have had such strong support from repeat buyers as well as a few new ones.

"People have done reasonably well at the weaner sales with our genetics which is great to see, they had the confidence to reinvest," he said.

"They know the type of cattle that we breed and there are no surprises in what we offer."

Tom said there was a number of sire lines that had done well in this year's catalogue including Powerplant and Picasso, but Goalkeeper was probably the most successful.

"He (Goalkeeper) produces moderate, thick bulls that are docile and easy doing," he said.

On the rostrum at the end of the sale, Nick Moyle also expressed his appreciation to their clients.

"It means the world to us that you support our hobby which has got out of control," he said.

Nutrien SA stud stock manager and auctioneer Gordon Wood said it was a "great sale" with spirited bidding.

"There were bulls being started at $10,000 from the start to the end of the catalogue," he said.

Mr Wood said it was a huge effort to put up 270 bulls between the SA and Vic sale to be held next Wednesday, but the quality in the offering was "second to none" and it was good to see them rewarded.

"They are big carcase animals that have a heap of calving ease and a heap of doing ability, that postive fat with high IMF and high eye aeea data as well as physically being able to see it in the cattle," he said.

"These bulls are going from the Northern Territory down to King Island, Tas - they just do well in any environment."

The sale's selling agents were Nutrien Naracoorte and TDC Livestock & Property.

Pathfinder will offer 129 bulls in its Vic sale at its Gazette property at Penshurst next Wednesday