Sire's grandmother inspires interstate stud raid at 81st Glen Innes Hereford sale
Stud breeders went blow for blow at the 81st Glen Innes Hereford sale on Friday to compete for the top lot while the bidding secured a respectable average of $9000 for the 26 sires sold.
Bestselling Truro Valve V105, by Warwick Court Roma R111 from Truro PR Christian Q049, made $21,000, going to Melville Park Hereford Stud, Vasey, Vic.
The horned Whiteface sire, 925 kilograms at 28 months, was the yardsman's pick of the Glen Innes Hereford show the day before.
He presented with 15mm of rump fat and 10mm on the rib, a 133 square centimetre eye muscle area, 5.8 per cent intramuscular fat and 39cm scrotal circumference.
Estimated breeding values for Valve V105 indicated positive growth, with +69kg at 400 days, +105kg at 600 days, +20 for milk and +5.7 for EMA
Buying agent Howard Carter, Barraba, who works under the Nutrien Harcourts banner, said Melville Park stud principals David and Olwyn Lyons were impressed with the sire's type, handling ability and temperament while his breeding rated highly.
"David knew this sire's grandmother, Truro Princess Christian A216," said Mr Carter.
"That was an important factor in this sale."
Underbidders on the number one Truro bull were the Stacy family, Myrallie Hereford stud at Singleton.
"I thought he was smooth and free-moving," said stud principal Bill Stacy.
"He was well-put-together with good structure and muscle pattern."
In the end, Myrallie went home with two Jindalee bulls to average $6500, including Jindalee Valhalla V115 by Lotus Quarry, 885kg at 24 months with a 41cm scrotal, 133sqcm EMA and 5.7pc IMF.
Another Truro sire Vigil V052, by Yalgoo Peacemaker P034, was judged senior champion the day prior and sold for $15,000 to the Bates family at Merriwa.
Weighing 985kg at 30 months, he scanned with an EMA of 137sqcm and IMF of 5.7pc, with a 38cm scrotal circumference.
The Gunning family stud, Emu Holes Herefords, Quirindi, paid $15,000 for the Vivers family's horned Jindalee Valentino V040, by Glenholme Remington, weighing a neat tonne at 28 months, with 137sqcm EMA, 5.2pc IMF and 40cm scrotal.
His Breedplan traits showed positive growth including +5.2 for EMA.
Most successful exhibitor of the show and sale, the Monie family's Thornleigh Herefords, Little Plain, sold to $12,000 for Thornleigh Vindaloo V152, by a son of Battalion Blackhawk K7 in Thornleigh Standout S176.
Vindaloo was 920kg at 24 months with 135sqcm EMA and 6.5pc IMF.
He sold to Mick Somerville, Tabulam, and will be put to Charolais-cross cows with the golden weaner calves sold through the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange at Casino.
Thornleigh Vocation V177, another Black Hawk grandson on both sides of his lineage, 900kg at 23 months with the second highest IMF in the draft at 7.4pc, sold to the Humphreys family, Wellbatch, Mummulgum via Casino, and will be used over Santa Gertrudis females.
The bestselling female lots were a Poll Hereford cow and heifer calf from the Reeves family, Gum Flat via Inverell, in Reevesdale Vallery U7 by Wondai Grand National, selling to long-time Glen Innes sale supporter Jim Gibb, Cootamundra for $4500.
Mr Gibb also bought two horned heifers from the Kneipp family's Dundee Echo Park to average $3250, including Dundee Betty 59 W379, with Battalion Cherry Ripe blood on both sides, for $3500.
Glen Innes 81st Hereford Bull Sale, July 24, 2026
Herefords Australia chief executive officer Hamish Chandler attended the sale and said the future of the breed relied on producers aligning with proven markets, like the European Union-accredited, grass-finished job and short-fed, 100-150 day, grain-finished product.
"In the last three years we have put together 34,000 MSA grading, 29,000 of those from grass finished Hereford cattle," he said.
"The average MSA grading was 61, which puts us in the top 25pc of the industry. We can speak with confidence that the breed is fit for industry and consumers are happy to eat it.
"The feedback we are getting from Coles and Woolworths is that if cattle keep grading that well, they'll keep buying them."
Mr Chandler encouraged producers to remain open to as many supply chains as possible.
The sale was hosted by Elders Glen Innes with Scott Cooper auctioneering and AuctionsPlus providing the online interface.
