Ongoing dry climatic conditions led to a sale result similar to last year during the Gold City Brahman Sale held on Friday, November 11, at the Dalrymple Saleyards, Charters Towers.
In all 89 bulls sold for an 84 per cent clearance rate, to average $4618 with the sale reaching its peak when 26-month-old grey Toy Boy Darius (D) sold for $27,000.
The 850kg son of NCC Lancelot (AI) (ET) (D) out of Toy Boy Hana (H) sparked a spirited round of bidding before he sold over the phone to Dean Rasmussen, Droonoodoo Brahmans, Kingaroy.
Elders sale agent Robert Murray made the winning bid on behalf of Mr Rasmussan, and said the bull will be used as a replacement sire within the Droonoodoo breeding herd.
Darius, who had an EMA of 138 sq cm, a P8 fat measurement of 16mm and a rib fat measurement of 15mm, was described by Toy Boy Brahmans stud principal Troy Lindsay, as having his sires’ head and his dams’ body.
“I see both in him, and he has a really good temperament as well,” Mr Lindsay said.
Earlier in his draft Mr Lindsay sold one of the three bulls to make $11,000 and garner second top price honours at the sale, when the 35-month-old, 938kg Toy Boy Hoffman (P) by Lancefield A Cardinal 3739M (AI) (ET) (P) out of Toy Boy Harmony (H), sold to Allan Williams, Riverside Pastoral Co, Nebo.
A total of 10 bulls from the Toy Boy sale team sold for an average of $7050.
Also securing an $11,000 winning bid and the mantle of top price red for the sale was the 31-month-old XMS Diplomatico 73/6 (AI) (D), which was offered by Callan and Kelly Solari, XMS Brahmans, Ingham, and purchased by Goscelyn and Denton Sullivan, Mt Coolan Pastoral, Mt Coolan.
Mrs Sullivan said it was the impressive general conformation of Diplomatico, by NCC Rumpole (AI) (ET) (D) out of Signiture Lady Indeeds Manso (D), which drew them to him during their pre-sale inspection.
It was the third Gold City sale as buyers for the Sullivans and their first purchase of a bull from XMS.
“We’ll be putting him in with our commercial breeders to help enhance the muscle and structure of his progeny, which is a goal we’re striving for within our overall herd at present,” she said.
The Solaris sold five bulls on the day for an average of $5800.
The third bull to hit the $11,000 mark was the 28-month-old Northern Millennium (AI) (D), offered by Diann Bush, Northern stud, Kennedy, and taken home by Bart and Tegan Wilkinson, Cargoon Pty Ltd, Cassiopeia, Clermont.
Mrs Bush was initially hesitant to put Millennium into her sale draft due to him being “such an impressive well bred bull”, though she was glad she did as his sire FBC Megatron Manso 345/1 (IVF) (H) “throws some great bulls”.
The Wilkinsons said they were highly impressed when they laid eyes on him, describing him as a “whole lot of bull, with great size and length, and a top temperament”.
They said he’ll be retained and used to inject “new blood” into their 1200 head commercial breeding herd.
The volume vendors of the sale were Jim and Bonnie Besley, Bungaribee, Barmoya, who sold 11 bulls for a $4273 average.
Matthew and Anna Slaughter, Eskwood, Guthalungra, sold eight bulls to average $3438/head, while John and Betty Atkinson, Laguna, Proserpine, sold six bulls to average $5167/head.
Nick Dudarko, Kangarin, Biloela, sold five bulls to average $4300, and Brian and Glenda Kirkwood, Somerview, Charters Towers, sold five bulls to average $4100.
Lance and Karen Pope, Glenborough, Yabula, sold five bulls to average $5700, while the Harriman family, GI Brahmans, Muttaburra, also sold five bulls to average $3300.
Peter and Sue Hammer, Annavale, Charters Towers, Barry and Bev Hannam, Batandra, Milman, and Lance and Sonia Faint, Karmoo, Clermont, each sold four bulls and each averaged $3000.
Peter Chiesa, Palm Creek, Ingham, sold four bulls to average $4875, while Bon Wall, Wallton Downs, Clermont, sold four bulls to average $4625.
The Brownson family, Burdekin, Charters Towers sold three bulls to average $4667, The Camm family, Cambil, Proserpine, sold three bulls to average $3667, and Graham Dudarko, Kangarin A, Biloela, sold two bulls to average $4250.
In all 10 grey herd bulls sold to average $3950, and 32 grey registered sires averaged $5641, while 10 red herd bulls averaged $4450, and 37 red registered sires averaged $3959.
The volume buyer of the sale were the Winsper family, Korong, Cloncurry, who took home nine bulls for an average of $3222, while the Fegan family, Milgery, McKinlay, bought five bulls for an average of $5000.
Brad Howe, Zig Zag, Paluma, purchased four bulls four an average of $3000, KLD Pastoral, Kirkland Downs, Charters Towers, secured a draft of four bulls at $4500 per head, and Mac Farms Pty Ltd, Tully, also bought four bulls four an average of $5125.
Landmark sale agent Mark Scholes commended the vendors for putting together a good run of commercially focussed bulls in trying times.
“While the sale average was down very slightly on last years result, the vendor support for Gold City has remained strong, in fact, we had three of four studs return after a hiatus from selling at the sale or which were offering drafts here for the first time,” Mr Scholes said.
ABBA president Matthew McCamley was in attendance at the sale and agreed with Mr Scholes by saying a “very good lineup of well presented cattle had been offered”.
“I suspect buyers at the sale would be very happy with the quality of the bulls they took home for the prices they paid,” Mr McCamley said.