The $18,000 sale-topper with (front) Joel Fleming, Landmark Tamworth; Charlie and Trudy Chapman, Wombramurra stud, Nundle; and (back) Simon Miller, “Dunmore”, Manilla; Peter Howarth and Andrew Chapman of the Wombramurra stud, Nundle, and guest auctioneer, Paul Dooley, Tamworth. Photo by The Land
By Hannah Powe, The Land
Wombramurra Black Simmentals hit a $18,000 top price today at their annual on-property bull sale, despite challenging conditions lowering the number of registered buyers.
In total 56 bulls sold of the 60 offered for a 93 per cent clearance and $6393 average.
Rob and Stephen Gill, and family, from Alexander Downs, Merriwa, secured the sale-topping bull Wombramurra M069 (P) (ET) (AI) (B) through AuctionsPlus for the $18,000 high price.
The 25-month-old bull weighed in at 972 kilograms with a scrotal circumference of 43 centimetres, fat scans of seven millimeters and five mm in the rump and rib, an eye muscle area (EMA) of 127 cm squared and intramuscular fat (IMF) of 5.5pc.
It was by the CCR Cowboy Cut 5048Z sire from Wombramurra K206 – one of the stud’s best young donor cows tracing back to the their foundation female A081.
Wombramurra used the top-priced bull as a yearling last spring because of his individual performance, data set and great maternal genetics. It was 75pc black Simmental and 25pc Angus in its pedigree, going back to Millah Murrah Right Time F226 on the dam’s side.
The second top-priced bull was, Wombramurra N026 (P) (ET) (AI) (B), a yearling black Simmental bull secured by Tim Bayliss from Ray White Rural Dorrigo, on behalf of Mayleigh Pastoral Company at Tamworth.
Weighing in at 704kg, the 18-month-old bull was by Bonnydale Black Hawk H274 from Lancaster Maternal J125. It measured 40cm in the scrotum, four mm and three mm in the rump and rib fats and 104cm sq in the EMA with an IMF of 3.8pc.
Mayleigh Pastoral Company, Tamworth, added five bulls to their bull battery for an average of $8200.
Overall 21 black Simmental bulls averaged $6048 while 35 SimAngus bulls averaged $6600.
Volume buyers included; Funny Hill Pastoral Company, Binda, who bought five bulls for a top of $8000, twice, to average $6800 for their purchases; Jim Robinson from “Malonga”, Hanging Rock, secured four bulls for an average of $7750 and top of $11,000; Richard Burns of Spring Ridge purchased three bulls topping at $9000 and averaging $8000 for the lot.
Queensland buyers Bidson Pastoral from Dulacca, purchased two bulls for an average of $6500.
AuctionsPlus had a significant presence with nine bulls secured through the online platform.
Tom Fisher and Elizabeth Rosa from Berry, donated the upset price of $4000 for a bull or equivalent drought assistance to a grazier suffering serious financial struggles.
Peter Howarth from Wombramurra stud, Nundle, said given the season they were particularly pleased with the support from so many clients.
Wombramurra continued it’s support of the RUOK charity by donating $20,000 to the cause. This is an increase on their donation of $10,000 in 2017.
Charles Cupit from Bedfords Chartered Accounts, Sydney, donated $5000 to the charity, with other attendees of the sale choosing to make donations where they could.
The sale was conducted by Landmark with guest auctioneer, Paul Dooley from Tamworth, taking bids.