Mature cow dispersal grosses $1.1m in outstanding result for Ben Nevis

A southern NSW Angus breeder has bought the top-priced lot at the Ben Nevis Angus mature cow dispersal, Walcha, which posted an outstanding result for the principals, the Halliday family.

With a top price of $54,000, 92 of 96 females sold for an average of $12,246, with buyers from Western Australia, South Australia, NSW and Victoria. All four embryo packages sold, averaging $2100 an embryo.

The top price was achieved by Ben Nevis Jean P303, bought by Fred Geard, Premier Livestock, Mangoplah.

Now in semi-retirement, after a dispersal sale in October 2020, Mr Geard plans "to play around with a few cattle" .

Jean P303 sold with a bull calf at-foot, sired by BN Rambo R230, the sire of Banquet Tom Cruise, which sold for $230,000 in 2024.

Ben Nevis co-principal Erica Halliday said the stud was proud of Jean P303, and described the cow in the catalogue notes as being "the mother ship", with nine lots catalogued representing the wonder female.

Mr Geard said his decision-making process in buying Jean P303 connected with his reinvigorated herd, the genetics from Premier Guardian and the renowned Premier Jestress H66 cow in its pedigree.

Jean P303 eggs raised $5050 each, paid by Rob and Tania Jarret in 2022 at the Molong Flood Charity Auction, raising more than $20,000 for flood victims.

"She was the pick of the cows in my mind," Mr Geard said.

"She's a deep-bodied female with outstanding rib shape and volume. Structurally very sound with exceptional feet and udder quality. Carries a massive hip and overall power. A top-end breeding piece, evidenced by the bull calf at her side."

The female was bought in partnership with Braeden Donnelly, from Tenterfield's Niaroo Angus and Charolais stud.

Mick and Jen Pratt, Ballawinna Angus, Albany, WA, bought the second top-priced lot, Ben Nevis Jean N238, for $42,000.

Mr Pratt was delighted with the result and said they had acquired a marquee Australian Angus gene cow, as well as adding a proven performer to their breeding line.

Jean N238 made headlines at last year's World Angus Forum when a package of her embryos was sold for a record price of $ 6000 each.

Mr Pratt said he and his partners in Ballawinna Angus, Doug and Cheryl Johnston, have secured semen rights to Banquet Tom Cruise T220.

He said the acquisition of Ben Nevis and Banquet genetic lines was like making a cake.

"I suppose we're continually sort of folding in the layers," he said

Ballawinna Angus also paid $134,000 for Banquet Dream V005, at the World Angus Forum Elite female sale in Tamworth, in May 2025.

Mr Pratt said that buying Jean N238 added important genetics to the Ballawinna breeding program.

"This ties in with a couple of the lines there that we've already got, and it also just gives us an absolute marquee animal in the N238," he said.

He said there were two standout, proven-performer cows in the catalogue - N238 and Jean P303.

"The only reason I didn't bid on Jean P303 is that I actually have a 303 daughter," he said.

"So we've captured that line, and that gives us both legs of the coming down the gene line from the Ben Nevis Jean B21 and BN Jean H215."

Ballawinna also bought Ben Nevis Dormist Q236 for $18,000. Q236 was sired by Millwillah Proceed L117 out of Ben Nevis Denmist M59.

Volume buyers were Glencorrie Angus, South Australia, with 26 head and E and S Fogarty, Palmer Valley Station, with six head.

The selling agents were Nutrien Boulon's Walcha, with Paul Dooley the auctioneer. AuctionsPlus provided the online interface.