Power of Red Qld Red Angus sale hits $20,000 top twice in its Dalby debut
It was an exciting day ringing in a new era for the Red Angus breed at the Power of Red Queensland Red Angus Sale at the Dalby Regional Saleyards on Saturday, September 5.
Although it was the 12th annual sale, it was the first time the sale had been held at Dalby, having previously been hosted at the Toowoomba Showgrounds Equestrian Centre, and the first time the sale has been held since the Red Angus Breed Society merged with Angus Australia.
The offering at the 2026 sale doubled from last year, with 41 bulls, 11 females, and 16 genetic lots for sale through 16 vendors.
Of the 41 bulls offered, 39 sold, a 95 per cent clearance, for an $11,230 average, while all 11 females sold for a 100pc clearance and a $4773 average.
All but one of the genetic lots offered sold for a 94pc clearance, resulting in an $875 average for embryos and a $233 average for semen.
Overall, the sale grossed $499,475, and sold 65 of 68 lots for a 96pc clearance.
For comparison, at last year's sale, all 21 bulls, six females, and 10 semen lots offered sold for a 100pc clearance, a bull average of $13,571, a female average of $5832, an overall sale gross of $331,025, and a top price of $23,000.
Two bulls reached the top price of $20,000 at the 2026 sale, both offered by David, Ashleigh, Taylah, and Hunter Hobbs, Round-Em-Up and Moorwatha Red Angus, Molong, NSW.
The top-priced female lot, GK Wicked Ruba W18, offered by Kirrily Johnson-Iseppi and family, GK Livestock, Dalby, sold for $11,000 to Christie Fuller, Diamond Angus, Cowra, NSW.
The eight-month-old heifer was sired by Red MRLA Resource 137E and out of GK Red Velvet Ruba V6.
The first of the top-priced bulls to go under the hammer was Round-Em-Up Blackout W18, which was purchased by Bill Varcoe, Narrawa Pastoral Company, Robe, SA, with a single bid of $20,000.
The 16-month-old, 726 kilogram bull was sired by Yallambee Blackout T181 and out of Round-Em-Up Lootah S4 2ND DAHS42.
He was in the top 10pc or above for seven Breedplan traits, and recorded 17mm of rump fat, 11mm of rib fat, an eye muscle area of 116 square centimetres, and 7.1pc of intramuscular fat.
The other top price of $20,000 was achieved by Moorwatha Good One W1, which was purchased online via Stocklive by Victoria Bennett, Western R B Angus, Narrikup, WA.
The 16-month-old, 720kg bull was sired by Round-Em-Up Good One T5 and out of Moorwatha Thea T32 M T32.
In the top 20pc or above for nine Breedplan traits, he recorded 14mm of rump fat, 10mm of rib fat, an EMA of 113 sq cm, and an IMF of 8pc.
One of the top price bull buyers, Bill Varcoe, Narrawa Pastoral Company, Robe, SA, said he ran a 1500 head Red Angus cow breeder herd over 7284 hectares (18,000 acres).
A repeat buyer of the Hobbs' bulls, Mr Varcoe said he wanted Round-Em-Up Blackout W18 for his muscle.
"We came up and had a look at them two or three weeks ago and picked that one out," he said.
"We've got plenty of stretch in our cattle, so we just wanted something a little more compact, a bit easier doing, and earlier finishing.
"We'll keep him for 12 months, the same as we did last time, give him time to grow out, and then we'll put him out next year."
It was the other top price bull buyer Victoria Bennett's first time purchasing one of the Hobbs' bulls.
At her Western Australian stud, Ms Bennett said she ran 100 Red and black Angus stud cows over 304 ha (750 acres).
"This young guy fit the bill [for us]. He's structurally sound, and he's got obviously top figures across the whole suite," she said of her purchase. "I really like the way he carried himself, and his overall shape with the muscle that he has at his age, but still that softness and how tidy he is."
Once she gets Moorwatha Good One W1 home, Ms Bennett said she planned to use him for both stud and commercial duties.
"We're really keen to keep the style of animal that we're breeding, and the structural soundness that we have, but try to bring these performance traits in as well behind the cattle and keep improving for the industry," she said.
Top-price bull vendor David Hobbs, Round-Em-Up and Moorwatha Red Angus, Molong, NSW, said it was his third year selling at the Power of Red sale, and that he was happy with the results he achieved on Saturday.
"It's to be able to support this sale and bring in more numbers," he said.
"I think as the sale's grown in numbers, this is a big move to come out here to Dalby and have such a successful sale.
"The future for Red Angus is huge."
Top-priced heifer vendor Kirrily Johnson-Iseppi, GK Livestock, Dalby, was a founding vendor of the Power of Red sale, and said it was nice to have it held closer to home this year.
"I thought it was a great move to come to Dalby. It's been really successful I think," she said.
"I'm really happy with these baby heifers. They're normally heifers that I wouldn't let go out of the herd, but with our agistment block, we've run out of water on the side of the road that the heifers are on, so we just decided to offer some really special young, weaner heifers.
"These both go back to the same cow, the old, original Ruba cow that won supreme beef female at Sydney twice.
"She's been a really good cow for us, and a really strong female family, the Ruba line, so it was exciting to see them go."
The bulk buyers of the sale, Shane and Maryanne Russell, Willara, Augathella, purchased six head for an average of $7667.
- Selling agents: Nutrien interfaced with Stocklive.
