Charbray goes top, Charolais lift average at 2026 Kandanga Valley sale
A Charbray bull went top at the 2026 Kandanga Valley Stud sale in a sign of strong demand for honey-coloured, polled bulls.
More than 100 people packed the stands at the Mercer family's Upper Kandanga property, Warravale, for the annual sale on Saturday, July 25.
Bidders travelled and phoned in from across the south east, the western Downs and north to Alpha, Nebo, Mackay and Cloncurry.
Fierce bidding early saw seven of the first 10 lots - all Charolais - sell for $10,000 or more, and it continued throughout the afternoon.
By the end of the sale, 102 of 119 bulls had sold through the ring for an 85.7 per cent clearance, a gross of $982,000, and an average of $8252.
By comparison, 92 of 101 bulls sold through the ring in 2025 for a clearance of 91.1pc, a gross of $892,000, an average of $9696, and a top of $28,000.
See who caught up at the 2026 Kandanga Valley Charolais and Charbray sale
Pictures by Zac Braxton-Smith
Charolais bulls were the highest performers overall, achieving an average of $9852, but a Charbray fetched the top price.
Taroom producers Felicity and Joe Streeter paid $26,000 for honey-coloured polled bull Kandanga Valley Volkture, who was 21 months old and weighed 754 kilograms.
He had an eye muscle area of 136 square centimetres, scrotal circumference of 39cm, intramuscular fat of 5.4pc, and P8 and rib fat measurements of 10 and 7 millimetres.
Kandanga Valley Stud principal John Mercer said he was building his numbers of honey-coloured Charbrays in response to growing interest from buyers.
"Volkture is a lovely, correct bull with ample muscling and a good temperament," Mr Mercer said.
"We bought his sire (Greenfields Starlight) as a heifer bull, and he has produced consistent calves with low birthweights.
"The top bull was the first calf from his dam, Kandanga Valley Scampi."
Top-bull buyer Felicity Streeter said she was looking for functional polled bulls for the northern market.
"We like the honey-coloured Charbrays for a couple of reasons: our Charbrays are bred from a red Brahman base, and we find they are bit softer, easier doing and nicely fleshing," she said.
"The two bulls we bought (today) were very true to type, and there's a good chance they will breed to type with six generations of Charbray behind them.
"Our joining window is October-November, so they will have a bit of time to settle in."
The Streeter family also bought 24-month-old polled and honey-coloured Charbray Kandanga Valley Vinton for $16,000.
Bulk buyers were out in force at the annual sale, with 10 bidders picking up three or more lots through the ring.
Juandah Aggregation representatives bought the largest number of lots through the ring, with seven bulls for a $9000 average.
Nutrien agent Colby Ede, who sold the top-price bull, said the strength of interest in Charolais and Charbrays at the Kandanga Valley sale had alternated over the years.
"The Mercers' bulls are known for their performance in a range of environments, and that showed in today's result," Mr Ede said.
"There was plenty of enquiry from local areas, and up the coast to Rockhampton and Nebo.
The top-priced Charolais bulls, Kandanga Valley Vanqueur and Kandanga Valley Vulcan, both sold to Fairview Cattle Company, Alpha, for $20,000.
- Agents: Nutrien and Shepherdson & Boyd, interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
