Perth Royal Show: Black Dog Ride Charity Steer sells for top price of $9000

Borrello Beef was the successful bidder on this year’s top price $9000 Black Dog Ride charity steer at the 2024 Perth Royal Show Led Steer and Heifer Auction. WA processors, major supermarkets Coles and Woolworths and local retailers showed their strong support for the event with a large crowd of interested onlookers gathering to watch AWN Livestock, Nutrien Ag Solutions Livestock and Elders agents conduct the sale. The top price Black Dog Ride charity steer was donated this year by Pat Terpstra of Aldgate Limousins in Waroona, being an Angus Limousin cross weighing 562kg and having spent 70 days on feed. Buyer Michael Borrello said he was happy to get behind the charity with the proceeds going to a very good cause. The Borrellos have been successful bidders of the charity steer on several occasions in the past. When unsuccessful they have often been the underbidder in what is a very hotly contested part of the Perth Royal Show led steer and heifer auction. The Black Dog Ride charity began in 2009 with the first steer auctioned at the Perth Royal Show in 2011. Black Dog Ride general manager Lawson Dickson addressed the large crowd of buyers and onlookers before bidding commenced this year, saying the charity steer had raised a tenth of the Black Dog Ride’s total $2 million dollars in funding since the charity began. “This is one of the more extreme efforts in fundraising towards mental health and suicide prevention,” Mr Dickson said. “It wouldn’t happen without the help of a lot of people.” Mr Dickson thanked all involved including buyers and competing bidders throughout the Black Dog Ride charity steer auction’s history. “Three out of 10 Australians suffer from a mental health condition,” Mr Dickson said. “Eight Australian’s die every day from suicide.” The Black Dog Ride charity raises vital funds for mental health services as well as raising awareness of mental health and suicide prevention in local communities around Australia year round. The second-top-priced steer to sell at the auction was the grand champion and champion heavy weight led steer, selling for $6400 to Maddington-based butcher, The Meat Machine. The 520kg pure Limousin steer from Venturon Livestock had spent 120 days on feed. The Meat Machine business partners Nathan Johns and Ross Waddell were happy to continue their support of the sale. Mr Johns said the steer had the right shape and weight they were after and would be sold as “body beef” in their shop. Mr Waddell said the steer was magnificent and The Meat Machine was happy to continue its support of competitors participating in the Perth Royal Show led steer and heifer classes through buying at the auction. “He is the grand champion, the people involved in this competition continue to supply good cattle and this steer will provide top quality meat for our shop.” He acknowledged the Western Meat Packers team for their ongoing support as processors of animals for The Meat Machine. WMP was the successful bidder on the two third-top-priced animals which sold for $4000 each. The first to go under the hammer was the reserve grand champion and champion extra heavyweight steer, a red Angus cross Simmental exhibited by Ella Clarke, weighing in at 574kg and having spent 100 days on feed. The second $4000 steer bought by WMP was the reserve champion extra heavyweight led steer, exhibited by Venturon Livestock, a Charolais cross red Angus that weighted 612kg having spent 100 days on feed. Bidding on behalf of WMP was their northern livestock buyer Jamie Davies who said they were proud to support the exhibitors in the led steer and heifer classes. “The cattle presented very well and sold accordingly,” Mr Davies said. Overall WMP bought 11 head for an average price of $2918. Long-time supporter of the Perth Royal Show Led Steer and Heifer Auction Peter Princi of P.Princi butcher store in Fremantle was the successful bidder on the champion medium-weight steer purchased for $3200. The steer was a Square Meater exhibited by Kelmscott Senior High School weighing 451kg and having spent 120 days on feed. A total of four head of cattle sold to P.Princi butchers for an average of $2650. The largest volume buyer at this year’s sale was Harvey Beef buying a total of 17 head of cattle for an average price of $2355. Harvey Beef acting CEO Tim Wood said they were proud to support all the exhibitors and agricultural colleges involved in the led steer and heifer competition. “This year has been such a good turn out, it is important to support the quality cattle being produced,” Mr Wood said. Woolworths and Coles buyers were also active at the sale with Woolworths buying a total of five head for an average of $2280 and Coles buying eight head of cattle at an average price of $2300. Also continuing their long-term support of the sale was Swansea Street Family Butcher in East Victoria Park which purchased three head for an average of $2067 and Johnson Meats in Midland who were the successful bidders on four head for an average of $2275. A total of 66 head of cattle were sold on the day excluding the Black Dog Ride Steer for a total of $162,200 and an average of $2458, which was only slightly down on 2023’s overall average price of $2586.