Heifer bull already proved his worth in Stanford stud before topping the sale

Buyers on the hunt for heifer bulls were rewarded at the Stanford Poll Hereford sale, with the top-priced $10,500 bull already proving his ability to throw smashing calves within the stud.

Stud and commercial producers from across the state and further afield were keen to invest in quality Poll Hereford genetics at the Bathampton stud's annual Helmsman sale on May 1.

Fifteen of the 29 bulls offered by the Rutherford family were sold to a top of $10,500 and an average of $7100.

Meanwhile, 18 cows with calves at foot sold to a top of $2750 to average $2713.

Forty pregnancy-test-in-calf heifers sold to a top of $2100 to average $1927.

Heifer bulls were in buyers' sights, with top-priced sire-prospect Stanford Vrooster V157 sold to Lisa and Bruce Harris, Beau River Poll Herefords, Orange.

Stanford Vrooster, sired by Stanford Synchro S049, was used in the Stanford stud as a yearling.

Now as a 21-month-old, the sire-prospect ranked in the top nine per cent for calving ease, with an estimated breeding value (EBV) of 16.9 per cent. He also ranked in the top 9pc for eye muscle area, with an EBV of 6.8 square centimetres.

Michael Rutherford said Vrooster was "a top-grade heifer bull".

When asked what he liked about the bull, he replied: "Everything".

"He has good, smooth shoulders, and the cosmetics, carcase and maturity patterns were right."

The second top-priced bull, Stanford Volt V107, also sired by Stanford Synchro S049, was sold to regular client Michael Lowe, Innesvail, Crookwell, for $9000.

Stanford Volt was ranked in the top 7pc for calving ease, with an EBV of 17.8pc.

Stanford Venezuela V209 was the third top-price bull, sold for $8500 to regular client Craig Pearce, Reedy Creek, Ballyroe.

The heaviest bull in the offering, Stanford Venezuela ranked in the top 20pc for calving ease, and had the top intramuscular fat scan at 400 days of 5.9pc.

Two bulls sold for $8000. Stanford Vegemite Kid V058, also in the top 20pc for calving ease, sold to Honeysuckle Trust, Blayney, while Stanford Vrisky V064, a heifer bull in the top 4pc for calving ease, sold to Taronga Poll Herefords, Paschendale, Victoria.

Two bulls made $7000 - Stanford Veigle V142 sold to Roy and Rosemary Reid, Millthorpe, and Stanford Voodstock V204 sold to Michael Masterman, Mandurama.

New clients, the Todd family, Allandale, Hobbys Yards, purchased two bulls for $6000 each.

The top pen of commercial heifers with their first calf at foot sold to Tanya Jenkins, White Rock, for $2750, while two other pens sold for $2700 each to W and S McCormack, Laggan, and Rosevale Grazing, Kanimbla Valley.

Paul Blanch, Brightling Park, Georges Plains, picked up the top pen of 11 PTIC heifers for $2100.

Towyn Jones, Glenora, Yass, claimed the next lot of nine PTIC heifers for $2000 and Jock Thompson, Invernisk, Bathurst, picked up 20 PTIC heifers for $1800.

At the stud's 2025 sale, 17 of the 32 bulls were sold, reaching a top of $8000, three times, to average $5300. Another two sold afterwards.

All 14 cows and calves sold for $1900 each, while 30 commercial PTIC heifers sold to a top of $1875, averaging $1775.

Mr Rutherford was happy how the sale went, considering the drought in many places across the state.

"We've always looked at it as the beginning of our bull selling season - we can sell bulls at any time of the year," he said.

The sale was an online Helmsman sale conducted by AuctionsPlus with assistance from Nutrien Bathurst.