Historic Hughenden multi-breed bull sale records a 100pc clearance rate

The inaugural Hughenden bull sale went off without a hitch on Monday, November 9, with a clearance rate of 100 per cent achieved and a Droughtmaster bull outdoing all the others.

Following a heifer sale the previous evening, the bulls topped at $40,000 and averaged $12,735 to gross $1.1 million.

The top-priced bull was offered by the Carrington family from Rondel Droughtmasters, Winton, and was purchased by Hughenden's Stewart-Moore family.

Rondel Fourex D5 is a 24-month-old polled Droughtmaster bull who was sired by Rondel Cold Chisel D5 and out of Rondel 5787 D5.

Fourex weighed 760 kilograms, had P8 and rib fat scans of 14 and 8 millimetres respectively and an eye muscle area of 128 square centimetres. He also boasted intramuscular fat of 4.44 per cent, and a scrotal circumference of 38.5cm.

Luke Carrington said it was a good feeling to be the top-priced vendor of the first Hughenden bull sale.

"Overall it's just good to see all the vendors have a good day and get a 100 per cent clearance, which is awesome," he said.

Mr Carrington said Fourex's pedigree made him a standout.

"He's got a good pedigree top and bottom," he said.

"He's got some great size in there and just his overall length, clean, beautiful set of legs and feet on him, and he's extra riveted long.

"He's able to go out and do a job and he'll handle the conditions."

Mr Carrington said most of the vendors did not expect such a big turnout or to receive the prices they ended up getting.

"It's just good to see so much local support and people in the crowd," he said.

"It's nice to bring bulls up here and they don't have far to travel and come in and then support it ... that's the beauty about it.

"Just to help to get bigger and better and keep going every year."

Fourex was purchased by Jack Stewart-Moore from Telemon Droughtmasters, Hughenden, who also sold bulls earlier in the day.

Mr Stewart-Moore said he was looking to add to his herd, which was focused on high-quality Droughtmasters.

"He stood out when we turned up to the saleyards a few days ago and I had an eye on him and wanted to try a bit of Rondel blood and see how it goes," he said.

What attracted Mr Stewart-Moore to this particular bull was that he was quite simple and not overly flashy.

"He is impressive. He's just good calf, good for age, had a really good set of stones under him, he's quite clean and just quite a stylish bull," he said.

Going forward Mr Stewart-Moore said he had great plans for the Droughtmaster bull.

"With him, he'll go out into a larger data herd that we collect a lot of data out of," he said.

"We'll just see what his calves go like and then if they'll punch out and do a good job, then he'll come into our smaller nucleus herd."

The second top-priced bull of the day was a red Brangus from Mark and Katrina Brown of M1B Brangus, which made $30,000.

The 25-month-old polled bull, M1B Viceroy V439, was sired by Yaraandoo Enterprise and out of M1B Q510.

Viceroy weighed 772kg, had P8 and rib fat scans of 16 and 12mm respectively, an eye muscle area of 120sq.cm, intramuscular fat of 5.51pc, and a scrotal circumference of 39cm.

The buyer, Robert Braes from Colston Station, Winton, also purchased the top-priced Charolais and Santa Gertrudis bulls.

Mr Braes said he didn't focus on any particular breed.

"We're going for hybrid vigour ... we're just drawing everything and hopefully we'll get into the southern markets," he said.

Mr Braes and his wife Lois decided to come to Hughenden to support the bull sale as they had a personal connection to the town.

"My wife was a teacher and we lived here for 15 years and caught up with everyone. It was just to come and have a look and you never know what's over the ridge," he said.

"I think the sale will go for a long time because everyone's got a choice to work whatever they want to do."

Mr Braes said his bull selections came down to quality.

"The Charolais (bull) has been in the show ring since he was a baby calf so he's extremely quiet, good bloodlines, and that's what we're looking for. We are getting to that ripe old age, we need him quiet," Mr Braes said.

"I oversaw a stud in Tully, so I understand the Santa bloodline and we were chasing a little bit of it.

"Shorter in the sheaths and that's why we went with a little bit more short horn in it.

"The Brangus is another breed I haven't tried yet. I just really like the bull with his bone structure and body and growth and again power."

Bulk buyers of the day were Steven and Rebecca O'Neill, Robert and Deborah Herrod from Tumutvale Street, Torrens Creek and Robert and Lois Braes from Colston Station, Winton.

• Agents: Flinders Rural, interfaced by AuctionsPlus