Poll Hereford tops Narrogin sale

The new venue for the 19th annual _Countryman _ Multibreed Invitational Bull Sale at Narrogin's WA College of Agriculture was a success by all reports.

Both number of bulls sold (49) and average price ($4204) were up on last year's sale, in which 43 bulls sold for an average price of $4046. The sale was previously held at Kojonup.

WA College of Agriculture, Narrogin principal Andrew Castle said hosting the sale on school grounds gave students an opportunity to work directly with people in the industry.

Sale vice-chairman David Corker said the students were well rehearsed to assist organisers with the logistics of conducting the sale.

"The event ran like clockwork," Mr Corker said.

_RED POLL _

First sale on the books was out of the Red Poll catalogue.

Yongerellen Murray Jasper F05, offered by Murray Williams, sold for $4000 to repeat buyer John Folds, of Steeredale Farms.

Mr Williams described the two-year-old bull as having a moderate frame with great length and carrying good muscling.

He said overall the sale was very successful and the students were pleasant to work with.

"The transition of the sale from Kojonup to Narrogin worked like a charm," Mr Williams said.

He added that like all multibreed sales, some breeds sold better than others and this year the exception was the Poll Herefords.

_POLL HEREFORD _

All 12 of the Poll Hereford bulls offered on the day were sold to 11 separate buyers with top results.

Terraneil stud principals Terry and Sandy Woods offered and sold all 10 of their Poll Hereford bulls to a stud record top price of $8750 and best ever average of $5525.

Following the Woods' line-up was Chris and Jennifer Wyhoon's two Jeneastbury Poll Hereford bulls that sold for $6500 and $6000 - achieving the highest average of the sale.

Mr Wyhoon said the breed had proven itself during the dry years. "Producers are realising that feed efficiency is a key profit driver," he said.

Mrs Woods said there had been a swing back to Poll Herefords due to the breed's good features, including temperament and ease of calving.

Pure Poll Hereford commercial producers Jeff and Joanne Gibbs, of Darkan, bought the sale top-price bull, Terraneil Frazer F11.

Mr Gibbs said it was the best bull on offer and he was impressed with its muscle pattern. The bull was out of popular sire Heatherdale Opium X100.

Mrs Woods said Frazer was in the top 20 per cent for EBV growth figures and had a top 5 per cent eye muscle area (EMA) of +4.7.

The second top-priced bull of the sale, Terraneil Fathom, sold to GB Reid for $7250.

Wandering pure Poll Hereford producer Bob Treasure paid $7000 for Terraneil Freedy F27.

The Woods line-up also found support from two new buyers, with Kelliher Brothers paying $5500 for one bull and EA Burton buying one for $4000.

Shane Kelliher, who farms in Wandering and Darkan, also paid the $6500 top price out of the Jeneastbury catalogue.

Repeat buyer Jim Brooks, of Witchcliffe, bought the other Jeneastbury bull on offer.

_MURRAY GREY _

Lindsay Bagshaw, of Young Guns stud, brought his biggest team of 13 bulls to the sale, selling 12 on the rail to a top price of $6250.

The passed-in bull sold immediately after the sale.

First-time buyer Bruno Maiolo, of Narrogin, bought the top-price bull, Young Guns Fashionabull F85.

The homebred bull, which goes back to Newhaven Park Pericles, was the youngest in the sale team and was described as a having excellent EBV growth figures.

Young Guns Flannagan F36 sold for $5750 to regular buyers Buktenica Brothers, of Hyden, who bought another bull for $4250.

Mr Bagshaw was very pleased that four new buyers selected out of the Young Guns line-up.

David Corker's Wundam stud sold to a top of $5250 for Wundam Park Zeus, purchased by first-time buyer RA & A Maiolo.

Mr Corker said it was the highest price Wundam Park stud had received at auction.

Cameron and Aimee Harris, of Nangara stud, sold three bulls to a top of $4250, paid by BM & CD Scheer for Nangara Freightliner F5.

_SHORTHORN _

A total of 20 Shorthorn bulls were catalogued, 17 of which were offered by Horace and Sandra Panizza, of Aprelia stud, and three from Catholic Agricultural College (CAC), Bindoon.

Aprelia Fermat F34 sold for the $4750 top price to Hargate Park.

The bull was in the top 5 per cent for EMA and Retail Beef Yield, with EBVs of +5.8 and +2.7, respectfully.

The bull was sired by Sprys Red Rocket B069.

Another bull - Aprelia Fadiman F28 - sold for $4000 to GA & PA Martin.

It was CAC's first auction of Shorthorn bulls and the school sold to a top of $3000, twice.

_LINCOLN RED _

David and Kate Turner's Tone Park stud offered and sold five Lincoln Red bulls to a top price of $4250, twice.

The first top-price bull, Tone Park F8, was sired by St. Fort Essex (imported from the United Kingdom).

Mr Turner said it was the first offering of St. Fort Essex progeny in Australia.

Tone Park F8 was bought by Neil Dereck, of Osterley Farming, Boyanup, who had recently bought Tone Park Lincoln Red commercial heifers.

The other equal top-price bull was purchased by repeat buyer Walter Blechynden, of Manjimup.

_GELBVIEH _

Sale president Steve Magini and his wife Marion sold one Gelbvieh bull to a top of $3000 to Upstream Holdings. The bull was sired by Ebony Lodge Sorento.

Elders and Landmark conducted the sale.

Multibreed Invitational Bull Sale, Narrogin * <table border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left">BREED </td> <td>OFFERED </td> <td>SOLD </td> <td>TOP PRICE </td> <td>AVERAGE </td> </tr> <tr> <td>RED POLL </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Yongerellen </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1 </td> <td>$4000 </td> <td>$4000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Red Sands </td> <td>1 </td> <td>- </td> <td>- </td> <td>- </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>POLL HEREFORD </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Terraneil </td> <td>10 </td> <td>10 </td> <td>$8750 </td> <td>$5525 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jeneastbury </td> <td>2 </td> <td>2 </td> <td>$6500 </td> <td>$6250 </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>MURRAY GREY </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Young Guns </td> <td>13 </td> <td>12 </td> <td>$6250 </td> <td>$4187 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Nangara </td> <td>4 </td> <td>3 </td> <td>$4250 </td> <td>$3583 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Wundam Park </td> <td>4 </td> <td>3 </td> <td>$5250 </td> <td>$3917 </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>SHORTHORN </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Aprelia </td> <td>17 </td> <td>10 </td> <td>$4750 </td> <td>$3350 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>CAC </td> <td>3 </td> <td>2 </td> <td>$3000(2) </td> <td>$3000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>LINCOLN RED </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Tone Park </td> <td>5 </td> <td>5 </td> <td>$4250(2) </td> <td>$3800 </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>GELBVIEH </td> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>Crystal Ridge </td> <td>2 </td> <td>1 </td> <td>$3000 </td> <td>$3000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> <td/> </tr> <tr> <td>TOTAL </td> <td>63 </td> <td>49 </td> <td>$8750 </td> <td>$4204 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>