Simmental Bulls Sell to $21,500 at Outstanding Woonallee/Waterfront Simmental Sale

Outstanding Woonallee/Waterfront Sale – Tops $21,500

“Outstanding” is the only word to use to describe all facets of the very successful 2^nd Annual Premier Genetic Simmental Sale, held at “Woonallee”, Furner, on February 10.

The Baker family’s Woonallee Simmental stud again combined forces with the Hodge family’s Waterfront Simmental stud, Tintinara, to host an offering of 70 highest quality bulls, females & genetic packages.

The bull sale achieved a top price of $21,500 and an impressive average of $6,551, while the females topped at $8,000, with PTIC females averaging $5,182, Open females averaging $2,571 and PTIC Recipients averaging $5,000. 2 Flush lots sold for $5,000 and $4,000, while 150 semen straws sold for an average $131.

The sale grossed an impressive $341,401, up 20% on last year’s sale.

Sale Summary

Cam Emerson, Alva Downs Partnership, Merino, Victoria, was the successful buyer of the $21,500 top priced bull, lot 5, Woonallee Enforcer Z41, while Ross & Joan Cockburn, Prospect Simmentals, Te Anau, New Zealand snapped up Lot 1, Woonallee Gladiator for $21,000.

A huge crowd of over 350, including 80 registered buyers, attended & experienced first hand the outstanding presentation & hospitality, as well inspecting stock of the highest quality. Buyers were attracted from all mainland states as well as a keen New Zealand contingent, and Elders auctioneer Leigh Allen had no trouble extracting bids.

The inaugural sale in 2005 was going to be hard to top, but top it they did, with a lift in averages in all sections of the sale. The Woonallee offering included the first bulls from Buzzard Hollow Ranch “Three Sixes”, the exciting South African bloodline bull owned by Mr Fred Schuetze in the USA.

As Past President of the American Simmental Association Mr Schuetze took the opportunity to enjoy discussions with Bill Almond, President of Simmental Australia and Craig Martin, President of Simmental NZ.

Despite a top of $21,500, and a lift in bull averages $5,297 last year to $6551 this year; there was still outstanding value in the sale. Even with the uniqueness & quality on offer, 16 of the 34 bulls sold from $2,500 to $5,000, which is great value in today’s beef industry. Commercial progeny of these same genetics regularly top Naracoorte and regional commercial sales, including the Baker family’s commercial Simbeef heifers that sold the day before, topping at a two state 2006 record of $860.

The sale commenced with the young bull Woonallee Gladiator , the reserve junior champion at Adelaide in September at only 12 months of age. In a strong bidding dual, he was knocked down to Ross & Joan Cockburn, Prospect Simmentals, Te Anau, New Zealand for $21,000.

Losing bidder was Cam Emerson, Alva Downs Partnership, Merino, Victoria, who was successful a short time later, picking up lot 5, Woonallee Enforcer, for the sale top of $21,500. Both these top selling bulls were Three Sixes sons. Cam purchased 3 quality bulls at the inaugural sale last year and was back this year to secure the best.

Pushing him to this top were Ian & Maureen Heinrich, Greenways, operating through Landmark Millicent. They were successful 2 lots later, securing the $9,000 Waterfront Zealand, a very impressive dark red bull that ranked very highly on Breedplan & in Gene Star testing for marbling & tenderness.

One other bull sold for 5 figures, with Woonallee Vision at lot 2, selling for $12,000 to Audrey Weightman, Topweight Simmentals, Margaret River, Western Australia. This extremely powerful & well balanced sire has a pedigree steeped with success & was also sired by “Three Sixes”. She later secured a wonderful PTIC female, lot 40, Woonallee W51 for $4,000. Audrey was ecstatic to be able to pick these lots up for these great value figures.

Waterfront’s top priced bull was lot 16, Waterfront Zanos @ $9,500, paid by John & Jennifer Turner, Mahonga Park, Finley, NSW. A tan bull with great attributes and sire potential. He joins 3 Waterfront bulls they purchased last year. They also purchased a Woonallee Three Sixes son for $5,500 later in the sale.

After purchasing semen in 2005, Derek Piper, Kelso Grazing Co, Coolah, NSW, was back again this year and purchased Woonallee Satara, an impressive tan South African outcross bull, for $9,000.

Hugh Bainger, Hillcrest Pastoral, operating through Elders Lucindale, went to $7,500 & $5,500 in securing 2 top bulls from Waterfront. They were both sons of the very successful Waterfront Usher. Mr Bainger is a strong supporter of Waterfront bulls and also has had consistent sale topping success with their progeny.

Tony Robin, Dorchester Investments, Roma, Qld, was one of 3 buyers from that state to purchase; going to $8,500 for a terrific blond Three Sixes son, lot 11, Woonallee Discovery Z039. Paringa Downs Partnership & D & T Allen, both operating through agent Murray Arthur, Roma purchased one bull each, both at a great value $2,500.

Volume buyer in the bull section was Ross Marriot, Murdka P/L, through Landmark Leongatha, Vic. He purchased 3 bulls to $7,000 & averaged $6,000; 2 from Woonallee & 1 from Waterfront.

Mrs EM Shields, through Dove Livestock, Colac, Vic purchased 2 bulls at $6,500 & $7,000, while Mary Compton, through Elders Heywood, purchased one @ $8,000 to be other strong buyers from Victoria.

Winderadeen, through Patterson Livestock, Wagga, NSW, picked up 2 bulls @ $6,500 & $5,500. Multiple SA bull buyers were the Childs family, Inverness Park through TDC Penola; MJ & LH Fischer through Elders Strathalbyn; Avonel Pastoral through Elders Millicent; & Waterhole Pastoral through Chay & Merrett, Millicent. They all purchased 2 bulls and all were at great value.

Exactly half the bull catalogue was purchased by South Australian buyers, with the balance going interstate or to New Zealand. The offering of 34 also included 3 Simmental/Red Angus Composite bulls from the Waterfront stud – the first time they have offered these at auction.

The tremendous quality females saw sales of 11 PTIC & 7 open females to an all interstate & overseas buyer list. Stuart Moeck, Valley Creek Simmentals, Schofields, NSW paid the top price of $8,000 in this section of the catalogue for a terrific Three Sixes open heifer, lot Woonallee Polly A1. He also secured 10 straws of Woonallee Africa (ET) for $120 each.

Joe & Joanne Peel, Haliotis Fisheries, Mallacoota, Vic went to $7,500 to secure Woonallee Jeanie, the Adelaide Royal 2005 senior champion female, and PTIC to Three Sixes. She was one of 3 females they purchased.

Volume buyer in the females was EJ Sleep through J&J Kelly, Warrnambool, Vic picking up 1 open & 3 mated females, paying to $6,750 for lot 44, Woonallee Lucy Z51. They also purchased 3 at last year’s sale.

Also back & strong in this section of the sale were Malcolm & Ngaire Entwisle, Hampton Downs, Simmentals, New Zealand. They went to $7,000 for lot 48, Woonallee Patty A52 (ET) a 7 month old pure African heifer that represents the newest Woonallee bloodline & from the very top end of the stud for quality. Included in the lot was a PTIC recipient with a Three Sixes/BHR Saldhana G102E. They also purchased another open heifer, lot 53, Woonallee Olga A42 for $3,500, after picking up both “flush lots” offered in 2005.

Peter Rauchle, Springside Simmentals, Pittswoth, Qld went to $6,000 in securing the top lot of his 3 female purchases, lot 45, Woonallee Rosie Z46 (P).

Gary and Jacqui Rahley, Aussie Park Simmentals, Toowoomba, secured Lot 54, the open female Woonallee Olga A69 for $2,000.

Peter Trevan, Hazeldell Simmentals, Korumburra, Vic paid $7,000 for a top PTIC female, lot 43, Woonallee Raziya Z1 (ET), and an open heifer, lot 47, Woonallee Regal A10 for $4,750.

Buyers of last year’s top priced bull @ $23,000; Kerry & Lynda Nankervis, Linmar Simmentals, Taranaki, New Zealand, were back in person this year & purchased one pregnant recipient @ $4,000, lot 56, Ru-Dev Cordel/Congosim Hexvas plus an ET flush for $4,000, lot 59, Sire of choice/Waterfront Virtue in partnership with fellow New Zealand stud, “Wai-iti” Simmentals.

Top in the flush lots was $5,000 paid by Jenna Patterson, Bullock Hills Simmentals, Katanning, WA for lot 58, Sire of choice/Woonallee Lady Suzi Z9 (ET). Jenna has had first hand experience with Woonallee genetics; being a regular at the SA Junior Heifer Expo, showing Woonallee heifers.

The semen lots offered also attracted keen interest and included 5 x 20 straw packages in Three Sixes. F&F Rizzo, Trijena Simmentals, Gary & Joy Allen, Tugulawa Simmentals, Six Creek Simmentals and Grantley and Vicki Muller, Rellum Farms Simmentals purchased these from $135 to $150 per straw.

Woonallee Africa (ET) semen sold in lots of 10 straws to Regan Burow, Yerwel Est Simmentals and Stuart Moeck, Valley Creek Simmentals for $120 to $125 per straw.

Australian Simmental President, Bill Almond, Kensileyre Simmentals, Wagga Wagga paid the top price/straw of $190 to secure 10 straws of semen from exciting African blood sire BHR Draco.

Report by Ian Turner, Superior Selections, South Australia – Phone (08 8331 7292)

and Peter Speers, Simmental Australia.

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