The history books were re-written at the 2021 Naracoorte Shorthorn bull sale on Thursday where the average soared to a new high of $11,646 for the 48 of 50 high performance bulls sold.
But the toast of the spectacular auction at the Pathfinder sale complex was the Thompson family, Yorketown, who reached new heights for a bull in their 50th year as vendors.
Their Bayview stud easily topped the stud averages list with their 15 bulls averaging an outstanding $16,867, including the $29,000 sale topper.
Nutrien stud stock auctioneer Richard Miller described the lot 2, Bayview Valentino Q15 as one of the picks he had seen come through the ring at the Naracoorte sale.
After an opening bid of $10,000 bidding took off.
The soft, stylish roan, which was among the first sons of Bayview Archer M15 to be offered by sale, caught the eye of several interstate studs, but it was the Tippett family, Glengyron stud, Newlyn, Vic, who held up their buying card after the fall of the hammer.
The price smashed the previous sale high at Naracoorte of $18,500 held jointly by the Bayview and Bundaleer studs.
The April 2019 drop had tremendous presence and was complemented by impressive estimated progeny differences, including ranking in the top 4pc for marbling and the All Purpose Index as well as top 10pc for birth weight and calving ease.
Buyers, Ken Tippett and his daughter Hannah, said they had selected Valentino from his pedigree and photos prior to the sale but were equally impressed when they saw him at the sale.
"He has a tremendous outlook, we think he's pretty good structurally and had the calving ease which we were looking for," Mr Tippett said.
"We didn't know (how much he would make) but we just thought we had to have a crack- you only live once," Ms Tippett added.
The following lot, Bayview Denzel Q65 -another Archer son- made $24,000- the sale's second highest price.
The 904kg bull which was a heifer's first calf was knocked down to Wild Dog Creek Props, Myponga.
Five sons of Bayview Archer averaged $20,000.
Mr Thompson was "overwhelmed" by the bidding strength for their largest ever team offered at Naracoorte and to achieve such success in a milestone year.
"It is a result that didn't really sink in until I sat down the next morning at 12:30am-1am and thought wow what a day," he said.
"It shows all the effort we put in was worthwhile and it is reassuring that people think our breeding program is on the correct page.
"Nearly all of the bulls were by standing sires we had purchased or bred ourselves and then we have put them over our cows that we thought would complement them or had the traits that were needed."
"I was really proud to get so many good comments over the past couple of days about the depth, softness and doing ability of the cattle."
This year's overall sale result and lift in average of nearly $3500 was helped by one of the biggest crowds in years. The 48 registered bidders nearly matched the number of bulls on offer by the seven SA, Vic and NSW vendors.
Another seven active bidders on AuctionsPlus put in 45 bids and secured five lots.
The Ashby family, Bundaleer stud, Gulnare, also hit plenty of highs with 11 of their 12 bulls averaging $10,727.
Blackmoor Pastoral, Kingston SE, outlaid $18,000 for Bundaleer Quake Shaker, a rich red son of Sprys Annies Legend F98, which had an API index and marbling in the top 1pc of the breed.
For the same money Inglewood Props, Crystal Brook, secured lot 26, Bundaleer Quinn Q55.
Vic vendors, the Williamson family, Caskieben stud,Carisbrook, sold all seven bulls for a $9714 average.
They received $15,000 for their top bull, Caskieben Zeus Q20 which was bought by DA&MJV Charlick, Padthaway.
Eloora stud, Bulart, Vic, also had a total clearance of their seven bulls to $14,500, averaging $8929.
Long-time sale supporters led the volume buyers with David, Karen and Henry Gould, Manuka Farming, Greenways, taking home six bulls to $20,000 twice for a $16,833 average.
The Ratcliff family, Haydenwood Partners, Keilira, secured four bulls to $10,000 for a $8000 average.
Mr Miller said it was just rewards for the vendors that such an even, high quality draft of bulls sold to such a huge geographical spread of buyers.
"You could really see what each stud was trying to achieve and they were all very similar styles of bulls, very predictable cattle. The numbers really did match the cattle," he said.
"The top end bulls were able to marry up high calving ease, low birth, high growth and have a lot of performance to go with it.
Mr Miller said the Shorthorn breed had gained "plenty of traction" in recent years with its Thousand Guineas branded beef and producing cattle which had the flexibility to hit a range of markets.
"It is amazing what a good season will do interstate and also in our northern parts of SA and the NT. We had pastoral owners operating which we haven't seen for a couple of years," he said.
Sale coordinator Rosemary Miller said it was a "thrill and very rewarding" to see new records achieved for the sale's top price and average after frenzied bidding.
"It was an exciting day for the Shorthorn breed with a packed gallery of buyers from SA, Vic, NSW, Tas and NT," she said.
Mrs Miller commended the vendors on the professionalism of their pre-sale videos and photos of their offerings which were promoted across social media. She said that added to buyer interest in the sale.
Nutrien and Elders were joint selling agents.
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