North Burnett buyer takes home top-price Devon Court bull amid stiff competition

The first day of spring not only brought warmth to the air, but heat to the bull sale ring at the 2026 Devon Court Hereford bull sale, held on-property at Drillham on Tuesday, September 1.

Of the 44 bulls offered at this year's sale, 36 sold for an 82 per cent clearance, a $10,583 average, and a $381,000 gross.

Three lots sold post-sale to bring the clearance to 39/44, 87pc, for an average of $10,231 and a gross of $399,000.

For comparison, at last year's sale, 36 of 40 bulls sold, or 90pc, to average $9250 and top at $22,000.

The top-priced bull this year, Devon Court Ultra Star V058, sold for $22,000 to Denise Hartwig, Glandore, Monto.

The 24-month-old, 790 kilogram bull was sired by Mawarra Ultra Star R182 and out of Devon Court Mellow J265.

A repeat buyer at the Devon Court bulls, Ms Hartwig runs 1600 cows over 10,117 hectares (25,000 acres) on her property.

"We're based on the western side of Monto, south of Biloela," she said.

"We have a composite herd, and we sell weaners straight off the cows.

"We have a base herd of Hereford cows, and then we cross back over that.

"We sell [our weaners] through AuctionsPlus, straight from mum."

Ms Hartwig said Devon Court genetics were the base of her breeder herd.

"[The herd] has been in the family on my late husband's side for a long time, and Devon Court certainly was the base of where they actually bought," she said. "I was here and bought last year, and I'm happy to return and buy again this year."

Bidding was competitive on the top-priced bull, which Ms Hartwig said stood out for his presence.

"He stood out and pretty much presented himself," she said.

"I liked his length and certainly the depth through the flank, and his eyes. He's got good colouring in his eyes," she said.

"It's nice to know that what you're actually looking at, other people agree with.

"A credit to the bull himself, everyone was prepared to give him a run as well."

Once Ms Hartwig gets her bull home to Monto, she said she would turn him out to breed.

"We'll let him settle into what our country is, and then he'll be going out with the cow herd when we turn the bulls out," she said.

Bulk buyers at the sale included Bingcliff Pty Ltd, Haasts Bluff, Alice Springs, NT, who purchased five head for an average of $6000, RP and EA Murphy, Charleville, who purchased four head for an average of $6500, and C, H and T Turner, Wodonga, Vic, who purchased four head for an average of $10,500.

With bulls sent to the Northern Territory, Victoria, and across the north and south of the country, Devon Court stud principal Tom Nixon said he was pleased with the sale result, and that the spread was reflective of the stud's effort to expand to new buyers.

"It's always good to clear a good amount of bulls, and they've all gone to some really good homes," he said.

"I think there's a lot of new clients, so that's always good.

"We definitely have expanded up into those northern areas, where a lot of bulls went.

"Up into Baralaba, which was online, and some good runs of cattle went up towards Rocky, which was good, and then as far south as Wodonga.

"So, it was a really good spread."

Noting the competition for the top-priced lot, Mr Nixon said he was a real Queensland-type Hereford bull.

"That's what we're renowned for," he said.

"He's a bit of a taller bull, he's got that really clean skin, and he's just a good, big, red fella."

• Selling agents: Nutrien and GDL, interfaced with Stocklive.