2022 Australian Braford Society President Report
The Annual General Meeting saw the end of my first term as President of the Australian Braford Society, and what a 12 months it has been. The Braford breed has been going from strength to strength, the Widebay Burnett Promotional Group hosted their annual Elite Braford Breeders’ Sale which saw an increase average of $593 for the commercial heifers and an $862 increase for the registered heifers. 100% clearance of these heifers went into Braford and commercial breeder herds. Thanks again to the Widebay Group for getting this sale up and running.
Biggenden Livestock held two sales for the first time this year with Braford classes well supported with Brian & Trinket Anderson and the Kenny Family from Harriett Valley Brafords taking the top prizes at these sales. Congratulations to them and thank you to those who supported these commercial sales. The New Dimension Sale held in Bell by the South Queensland Group was again a credit to those involved with the organising and vendors who sold there. Congratulations to the Amor family from Carinya Brafords for top price bull and the McNamara family from MCN Brafords on the top price heifer.
The National Sale this year showed the strength of our breed with a $15,611 average for the bulls and a clearance of 96%. Top price of $48,000 was achieved four times by the Carinya and Ascot Neimen Studs and the Marks family from Winvic Brafords took top price heifer. Congratulations to the vendors who supported this Sale. Thanks also to Sale Chairman Russell Kenny and his wife Donna, and all the Sale Committee for organising the sale once again – it takes a lot of work to get a sale this size together.
Our breed was well promoted this year with our Feature Show at the St George Show which was organised by the South Queensland Group. This was well supported and the standard of cattle were a credit to the studs showing. Thanks to the South Queensland Group again for organising their stand at Farmfest where Brafords shone through with Sunny Lawn Stud taking out top honours with their cow and calf.
The stand at Ag-Grow in Emerald was very well supported again this year by Rhonda Ryan, Banyula Brafords, and the Moeger family from Triple S Brafords. It was promising to see the Capricorn Group being reformed after a meeting held at Ag-Grow which will be beneficial in promoting Brafords in the Central Queensland region. Thanks to the NSW Branch for supporting Primex at Gunnedah by all accounts it was well-represented and attracted a lot of interest.
It’s pleasing to see that we will have a full board on the Braford Council again, it is great to see such enthusiasm and passion for the breed. I would like to thank those on the Board, and the Members of the NSW Branch Committee for your help and dedication to the breed this past year. I am pleased to announce that the Australian Braford Society will be joining Breedplan, while not a requirement of being a member it is encouraged as the Society is looking to help subsidise membership of Breedplan to help get started. More details will be available soon. Sire tracing has now been mandated for the year 2025 meaning all registered animals sold as registered animals at auction must be sire verified. The by-laws will be changing and an updated copy will be available as soon as this is done. This is our eleventh full year with ABRI, and it has shown a substantial saving which has allowed us to invest into other areas of our breed for the future.
Congratulations to those studs who reached the 50 year milestone and also to our patron Larry Acton on receiving life membership.
I believe the future for Brafords is bright and I look forward to what the next 12 months have to offer. Thanks to everyone for your support.
Stuart Dingle, President Australian Braford Society
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