Buyers make most of opportunities at Goolagong stud's first female sale

There was some exceptional opportunities to be had at Goolagong Angus stud's inaugural female sale at Reedy Creek, where buyers had a chance to secure some tremendous genetics from the heart of the herd.

The catalogue featured about 50 of the Tiller family's V-drop heifers, as well as some three to seven-year-old females, which were all pregnancy tested in calf to some of the breed's exciting sires.

And while the cattle market is in a great position, one factor which may have dampened demand was the large number of Angus female sales being held in the next couple of months.

Overall, 59 of 100 lots sold for a $4474 average.

The $8500 sale high was one of these V drop heifers, lot 23, Goolagong V246.

The May 2024-drop was described by Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Richard Miler as a "four ticker in a three tick system" for quality. She was sired by US bull Sterling Pacific and out of one of Goolagong's top cows S8 - a Esslemont Lotto daughter

She was in calf to the stud's $30,000 record priced bull, Goolagong Vegas V248, and due to calve from late June.

The successful buyers were Andrew and Sarah Watson, Whitegum stud, Woodside, who said they were looking for high quality females to expand their stud which they have been running for the past decade.

Mr Watson said they were drawn to the Sterling Pacific daughter as one of their top picks.

"Pacific is no longer around so they are not making many more of his daughters," he said.

"She is also a heifer with a lovely shape and good numbers with growth all in the top 1pc."

Whitegum Angus bought five lots, including the $6000 equal highest-priced mature female in lot 85, Goolagong R165.

The rising six-year-old was a Pathfinder Emperor daughter, which had produced three bulls which had averaged $9000. R165 was in calf to exciting new US sire Sitz Galatic.

"We have been following Heath's program and like the cattle he is breeding," Mr Watson said.

Also at $6000, Candy Mountain Cattle, Noorat, Vic, took home lot 60, Goolagong T310 - an EG Eyes on You daughter.

She was out of one of the stud's top donor females, KO Wilcoola P69, which has produced 24 embryo transfer calves.

The 2022-drop female was also in calf to Sitz Galatic.

The decision by the Tiller family to reduce their stud numbers brought out 14 registered bidders in the gallery, as well as another five active bidders online.

Luci Park, Woodside, secured 12 females to a $5250 high, while Kinyerrie Partnership, Keith, took home 10 females all at the $4000 base price.

Goolagong stud principal Heath Tiller admitted he was unsure what to expect being their first female sale since they started breeding Angus in 2014. He was very happy to get their genetics which had performed so well for them, out to other studs.

"We had probably hoped to sell a few more, but we have moved all the cows now and a large number of the heifers too," he said.

He said they remained committed to breeding Angus cattle and would continue to offer about 60 bulls at their South East sale and another 90 to 100 in their Warnertown sale each year.

"Any of the unsold heifers have gone back into the stud so we will still be calving down 350 to 400 females and we are doing off-farm embryo work putting in 100 to 150 embryos through June and July, so we will still have plenty to choose from," he said.

Mr Miller commended the Tiller family on the presentation of their sale females given the tough season they endured in 2025. He noted their figures were also "A grade" with a lot of them ranking in the top 10pc of the breed in index.

"Every one of the females would have stayed in the Goolagong herd and bred bulls for further bull sales and replacement females," he said.

"We also had a star run of V-drop heifers which are the sisters to an outstanding drop of bulls which turned a lot of heads."

He said there was strong competition on the mature aged cows, resulting in a great clearance, but there was plenty of value for money in the V-drop heifers.

"Buyers were selective on calving time, if they weren't either calving early (May-June) or late (October) they were probably left," he said.

Soon after the sale another 20 females were sold.

Nutrien Kingston conducted the sale.