THERE was good buying support at the Hazeldean Angus bull sale at Willalooka on Tuesday and a top of $10,000 was achieved.
Out of 57 bulls offered, 48 were sold in the ring for an average of $5468.
Buying the top price bull was Richard Ryan, JH Ryan & Son, Mount Bruce, Greenways, who has been a client at Hazeldean for more than a decade.
Mr Ryan runs a pure Angus operation, with a self-replacing herd of 500 cows.
"I've concentrated on putting better genetics into the herd and have been very happy with the results I've been getting over the years," he said.
"Our heifers are getting better and better each year."
Mr Ryan's $10,000 bull was Hazeldean N214 - a 19-month-old sire weighing 740 kilograms.
It was sired by Hazeldean Katzen K416 and out of Hazeldean J1023.
The bull ranked in the top 5 per cent on the Angus Breeding Index for heavy grain and heavy grass value.
Mr Ryan also bought another bull at $9000.
Paying the second-highest price at $9500 was regular clients Boonoonar Partnership, Keilira.
Hazeldean N768 is aged 18 months and weighs 750kg. It is also in the top 5pc on the Angus Breeding Index for heavy grain and heavy grass value.
The bull was sired by Hazeldean Katzen K416 and out of Hazeldean J1610.
Boonoonar Partnership bought six bulls all up, averaging $5750.
New buyer AT&RA Bradey, Ullswater, Vic, purchased two bulls to $5500, averaging $5000.
Regular bidders Donald Brown & Co, Keppoch, bought near the top of the catalogue, taking one bull at $8000, while other long-time supporters DK&JD Symonds, Edenhope, Vic, paid the same price for Hazeldean N522.
DH Prosser & Son, Marcollat, bought three bulls to $8000, averaging $6333, while MH Marwood, Kingston, took four bulls to $4500, averaging $4250.
Buying near the top of the catalogue was AJ&DH Lock, Geranium, paying $7000 for Hazeldean N190.
Return clients GA Young & Sons, Kalangadoo, bought four bulls to $6000, averaging $4750.
Taking four bulls all at $5000 were long-time buyers Hillcrest Pastoral Co, Avenue Range, while other regular bidders SA&GE Smith, Lucindale, took two bulls to $8000, averaging $7750.
Hazeldean's Guy Cunningham said it was good to achieve solid clearance in a tougher year like this one.
"I was pleased to sell that many bulls and I was really pleased at how well the bulls have come up this year," he said.
The sale was conducted by Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen and Spence Dix & Co, with Jono Spence and Josh Manser sharing auctioneering duties.