Sale summary
2016 2015
Offered 119 124
Sold 119 124
Top $41,000 $16,000
Av $8284 $6085
Pathfinder Angus stud re-wrote the record books at its 19th annual SA on-property bull sale on Thursday at Naracoorte with the highest average ever achieved in the state.
In a $985,800 selling bonanza, Nick and Sara Moyle had a total clearance of 119 bulls for an incredible $8284 av - a massive leap of nearly $2200 on 2015.
SA Angus Week sales have strengthened as the week progressed but the largest offering hit new heights, including a $41,000 top price.
This smashed Pathfinder’s previous record of $23,000 set in 2002.
In his pre-selling amble on Lot 8 Landmark auctioneer Kevin Norris initially commented Pathfinder General K7 was “a stud sire which could see stud duties at any stud in the country.”
At least two studs agreed.
It became a two-way bidding duel between Ross Friedrich and his daughter Diana, Rossrich stud, Gerogery, NSW, and Landmark Naracoorte’s David Heinrich who was taking phone bids for a high profile NSW stud.
Mr Friedrich secured the bull with a round of applause from the packed gallery of 84 registered bidders from across Australia and NZ.
The 892 kilogram bull which stole the show was among the breed’s elite figured bulls being the top 1pc for calving ease and all four Angus breed indexes.
General K7 was also in the top 5pc for 200,400 and 600 day growth.
He had a proven pedigree being a son of Ayrvale General and out of Pathfinder Equator H63 but was also very docile and structurally correct.
Mr Friedrich described the two-year-old as the bull “they had been searching for”.
“His figures jumped out from the page with calving ease, high growth but also good balanced carcase figures.”
“ Many of the bulls we breed our clients are looking for calving ease especially to put over heifers which he should breed.”
Rapid fire bidding was sustained for nearly two and a half hours with many highlights through the catalogue. Twenty five bulls made $10,000 or more including three bulls at the $16,000 second top price.
The 35 spring 2014 drops late in the catalogue attracted plenty of attention topping at $11,000 and averaging $6914.
Yellowie Props, Canowie was the sale’s volume buyer with five bulls to a $6500 high. Peel Pastoral, Naracoorte bought four bulls to $9000 twice.
Landmark Adelaide’s Trevor Driver had multiple orders including four bulls to to BM&BP Mumford, Redhill to a $10,000 high , and the same number to Broad Cattle Co between $4500-$5500.
Mr Norris said the sale result was “beyond anyone’s expectations” but justified by the top quality on offer.
He said the Moyles had achieved a rare feat in the Angus breed retaining both phenotype and performance in their bloodlines.
“He (Nick) has not sacrificed the phenotype for the figures, or sacrificed the figures for the phenotype. They are both magnificent in their bulls and it is great to see big numbers of them in one place.”
Fellow Landmark auctioneer Gordon Wood described it as a fantastic sale for the breed and the industry . “Few people put in the amount of time, investment and genetic smarts as Nick and Sara.”
“They are thoroughly passionate about Angus stud breeding and scour the earth looking for the next sire to get the genetics right.”
