A YEAR ago Mark and Anna Gubbins, Coolana Angus at Chatsworth in Victoria, started planning for last week's Coolana Buyers' Choice Special Female Sale held last week.
Little were they to know that the weather gods would serve-up one of the longest, driest summers the family has ever known.
However, they honoured their commitment and presented a high-quality draft for buyer competition, and with very realistic reserves they were well rewarded. A select group of buyers either at the sale or via phone or the Auctions Plus network, bid-up accordingly.
Coolana's entire draft of registered spring 2011-drop heifers, other than non-pregnant or cull heifers, were put through the sale ring, with the successful bidder on each of the 84 lots having the choice of the heifers in each lot. The balance went back into the Coolana herd.
The sale opened with $5000 for the pick from three Sitz New Design 458N daughters, paid by Perry Gunner and Dennis Chandler, Coorong Designer Angus, Meningie. They went on to buy the biggest number of registered heifers - 17 averaging $2279.
Karen Masson, The Rock Angus, The Rock, New South Wales, was the sale's strongest sustained bidder, taking 14 heifers of choice to the sale's second-top-price of $5500 averaging $4000. Ms Masson's $5500 buy was a B/R Future Direction 4268 daughter out of a Dunoon Midland A017 female.
Rowley and Tracy Bennett, Fernhill Angus, Lowesdale, NSW, with Dick Whale advising them, took 14 heifers to $4500 averaging $2607. Their top buy was for a Bald Blair Debonair D34 daughter.
The sale's top price came via a phone bid from Gerald and Lynden Spry, buying through Elders Albury, NSW, paying $5750 for the pick heifer from three heifers, daughters of TC Franklin 619.
They also took a Coolana New Design daughter late in the catalogue at $4500.
Malcolm McDonald through Spence Dix & Co, Keith, took eight heifers averaging $1750.
In an 81pc clearance, 68 registered heifers averaged $2754.
The sale concluded with a draft of 49 commercial heifers in four lots. Peter Rollason operated the Auctions Plus network and took successful bids from Michael Gooden, Holbrook, NSW, for 39 of them to the $825 top. The whole draft averaged $805.
Overall, the sale achieved an 88pc clearance, grossing $243,500.
Elders Mortlake, Vic, was the sale agent with Ross Milne the auctioneer.
