Vanilla was a popular flavour for return buyers at Supple Whiteface sale

Return buyers were keen to get their hands on quality Hereford bulls at Supple Whiteface's third annual on-property sale.

Bidders from across NSW and into Queensland chased the Rumbel family's small but impressive line of sire prospects on August 11 at its Llangothlin sale, which topped out at $13,000 twice.

Twenty of the 26 sireprospects offered on the day were sold for an average of $7845, with 75 per cent of the bulls sold to repeat clients, including both top-priced bulls.

At Supple's 2025 sale, 22 of the 26 bulls sold to a top of $16,000 for an average of $7045.

Graeme and Julie Hamel, Glen Innes, weren't mucking around - they had their eye on lot one and paid the equal top-price for Supple Vanilla V066.

The 952-kilogram Vanilla, sired by Supple Queens Gaurd (PP) and out of Supple Rhonda 92 R010 (P), recorded an eye muscle area (EMA) of 135 square centimetres and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 6.2 per cent.

"We were very impressed with V066, with his tremendous structure, great skin type and excellent eye pigmentation, with the great figures to match," Mr Hamel said.

The Hamels run a crossbred cow operation at their Glen Innes properties, using mostly Hereford bulls with a splash of Simmental and Charolais.

"In April, we yard-wean our calves before trucking to our Inverell country, where, season depending, we either grow to feedlot weights or finish them to be killed at either Woolworths, Coles or JBS Australia.

"We bought our first bulls at Supple in 2024 and we are very impressed with our weaners' doability, skin-type, softness and temperament."

Meanwhile, it was Ben and Jennie Hanna, Uragra, Whiporee, who snapped up Supple Voice V049 (AI) (PP) for an equal top-price of $13,000.

Also sired by Supple Queens Gaurd (PP) and out of Supple Amanda 64 R069 (P), the 27-month-old sire prospect weighed 942 kilograms and boasted an EMA of 132 sq cm.

When it came to estimated breeding values (EBVs), Voice recorded a birthweight EBV of +7.5kg and a carcase weight EBV of +72kg.

"We thought Voice had good volume and a great temperament, which is very important to us," Mr Hanna said.

"We have good-sized cows now. We've been breeding them for 50 years now between my father and myself, so we can handle a bit more birthweight.

"He had great pigment on his eyes and good eye setting, and a nice strong poll. He also had a really good length, which we like as long as they've got the volume to go with it."

The Hannas run a pure Poll Hereford herd, and have been buying bulls from Supple for a number of years.

"We've had excellent after-sale support from Ben," Mr Hanna said.

"We will use Voice for about four years and then our son will use him after that."

Supple's Ben Rumbel said the sale was very similar to last year's, with a slightly higher average.

He feels the tough season has had an impact on sales.

"There's no cows left in the New England. It's a tough season and we were happy to get them to do what they did in the season. Our local support was not too bad considering," h

The sale was supported by Nutrien and Colin Say & Co, and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.