Pictured in front of the $13,000 top priced Simmental bull at the Woonallee Elite Genetics sale are buyers Helen & Tony Donohue, Ulmarra Simmentals, Singleton, NSW, Elders Millicent auctioneer Ben Finch and Woonallee principals Tom and Lizzy Baker, Woonallee, Furner with daughter Olivia.

For Tony and Helen Donohue, Ulmarra Simmentals, Singleton, NSW, patience paid off handsomely at the 2009 annual Woonallee Elite Genetics Simmental sale at Furner, SA last Friday.

They have been breeding Simmentals for 25 years, so have experienced many highs and lows in the beef industry. They have become very excited about the new South African genetics that have been imported into Australia by Woonallee principals, Tom, Lizzy and Marg Baker, as they are an easy doing, high performance strain, ideally suited to Australia’s primarily range reared beef production systems.

Their reactions upon leaving the last 2 Woonallee sales couldn’t be more contrasting. Last year economic reality played its part when they reluctantly withdrew from a bidding duel with Tony and Loreen Kitchen, WA, as underbidder for Woonallee Benefactor B46, the second top priced bull in that sale at $23,000. They did ultimately purchase a semen package in this BHR Mystique son.

With some trepidation that the same record breaking bidding may occur again, they ventured back this year hoping for more luck this time.

While the sale was exceptionally solid, Tony and Helen left this year’s sale with huge smiles and last year’s disappointment just a distant memory. They were successful in securing their first choice bull, Woonallee Class Act C119 (ET) at lot 3, a full African blood bull by Latco Hager Junior for only $13,000, but still the sale’s top priced bull. Their buying patience was thus rewarded.

On paper pre-sale, they were deciding between lots 2 or 3, but upon inspection they were strong in their resolve that Class Act was the bull to give their breeding program another big lift.

Tony and Helen run 60 registered Simmental cows plus a further 60 commercial ‘Black Baldy’ composite cows. They aim to turn off 9 month old vealers with the weight gain, muscling and maternal attributes of the Simmentals being an important component of this successful commercial program.

The Donohues are about to enter the bull auction scene themselves, being co-vendors in the ‘3S Simmental’ sale scheduled at Tamworth Equine Centre in August this year. Seven studs will offer quality Simmental cattle, hence the sale name of ‘3S’(Seven Simmental Studs).