It was the highest number of bid cards the Galloways have recorded, which meant standing room only around the grandstands. With 22 repeat buyers and four newcomers, including Semex Canada based in Victoria, who purchased the only Ascot Rum bull – Lot 1 Ascot Digger for $8,000. Semex Canada develops and markets livestock genetics around the world, and they plan to market Digger internationally.
The bidding was strong for the lead bulls. The first eight lots averaged $6750 and collectively the 26 registered bulls averaged $4,808.
There was special interest in two of the new sires Tareola Eyewitness and Little Valley Boyd, four Eyewitness bulls averaged $5,125 and seven Boyd bulls averaged $4,300.
But it was the strength and quality of the bulls later in the draft that secured the solid sale result. The second last bull of the day Lot 45, Ascot 1706 by Ascot Burley was a surprise top price selling for $8,500 to the Clark family, ending the sale on a high note. Burley was the top selling sire for the sale with three bulls averaging $5,167.
Clark, is a well-known and respected name in the Braford breed, and this time it was Wayne and Julie Clark from Elliscamp, Bauhinia who successfully bid for this bull along with another registered bull.
Landmark agents were kept busy on the phones, with several buyers relying on phone bids to secure their purchases. This included Mark and Belinda Wilson from Banana Station who bought three bulls to average $4,830, including Lot 2 Ascot Djokovic by Neimen XPO for $7,500.
Toby Neil from Wilgalong Partnership based at Hermidale in New South Wales also phoned in to buy three stud bulls to average $6,330.
The busiest bid card belonged to Matt and Jackie Tennyson and Greg Wright representing Tigrigie Cattle Company, Taroom, who bought four registered bulls to average $6750, including Lot 18 Ascot 1616 who topped the scales at 1015kgs for $7,500.
Repeat buyers, Lance and Jenny Muller with assistance from daughter Danielle Bradshaw purchased three bulls to average $4,200.
New local buyers Graham and Joyce Bolton from Thangool purchased two bulls to average $5,000. Also new were Ben and Tina Titley from Proserpine who bought the last bull of the day for $3,000.
Other bulls travelling distances went to Baroma Downs Croppa Creek owned by Doug and Susie Barnett, to Ray Kidd at St George and the Whip family at Morven. Repeat buyers included the Whitemans from Rolleston, Michael Wells from Springsure, Bernard Anderson from Clermont, the Cross family from Biggenden, the Hotz family from Monto and the Schottelius family from Dingo.
Family support came from the Galloways based at Cootharaba, Monto and Barrain, Blackwater who purchased one bull each. Local Callide and Dawson Valley support came from the Maloney, Durkin, Smoothy, Hamilton, Graving and Wyatte families.