The record book was rewritten at the eighth annual Hopgood Charolais Bull Sale held on Friday at the Clermont Saleyards with the highest sale average and top price in the sales history set on the day.
All 41 bulls in the sale draft presented by Mark, Michael and Susan Hopgood, Hopgood Charolais, Goondiwindi, sold for a gross of $247,500 to average $6037/head with a top price of $12,000.
Red factor 25-month-old bull Hopgood Keycard (a son of Palgrove Freeman) set the new record when he sold to Ross Parkinson, Parkinson Family Trust, Sarina.
“He’s a great heifer bull with a moderate frame and a gentle disposition,” Mark Hopgood said.
All sale bulls in the draft carry the highly sought after Palgrove genetics, which was highlighted by the first 10 sons of Palgrove Gold Dust being available for purchase.
“Gold Dust is by Palgrove Bolster who has been one of Palgrove’s most consistent breeders of ‘beef bulls’ with commercial relevance,” he said.
The rest of the draft was made up of fellow Palgrove bulls; Ford, Bonanza and Freeman.
Three bulls in the draft attained the equal second top price of the sale at $11,000, with Hopgood Knight a Red Factor 26-month-old son of Palgrove Ford the first to hit the mark in Lot 3 when he was purchased by Shane and Trish Benney, Merrigang, Clermont.
Lot 28, Hopgood Keel a polled Gold Dust son with exceptional weight for age and top class pedigree sold to Gordon and Levi Rickertt, Ranam Cattle Co, Curra. The Rickertt’s purchased four bulls at the sale in total.
Another son of Palgrove Freeman also reached $11,000 in Lot 22 when Hopgood Kappa was snapped up by Len Hicks, LKH Grazing, Wynyard. Mr Hicks was the top volume buyer for the sale putting together a great draft of nine bulls.
Other volume buyers at the sale included: Russell Rostern, Rostern Grazing, Leichhardt, Aramac (five bulls) Ross and Sam Martin, Old Banchory, Clermont (three bulls); Phil Bridgeman, Olive Vale, Alpha (three bulls) and AG & SW Finger, Telarah, Clermont (three bulls).
The Hopgood’s have been breeding Charolais’ since 1995 and Mark Hopgood said the 2016 sale draft was the best he’s put together in the sales history.
“The key factors we looked for when assembling the sale draft were weight-for-age, excellent temperament, rapid growth and fat cover which is essential as all of our clients fatten there bullocks on grass.
“I’m very proud of the work we’ve done which has paid off well for us here today.
“It was a very even draft from start to finish which was reflected in the sale average.
“I’d like especially thank all our repeat buyers, all others who made a purchase, the underbidders and the sale agents from Elders Clermont and Hoch & Wilkinson.
