A stand out young Angus bull which had been nicknamed "Freak" by the Granite Ridge team for its exceptional weight for age and length claimed the $36,000 top price at the stud's 15th annual bull sale at Reedy Creek.
The August 2020 drop son of Millah Murrah Paratrooper is the number one bull in the breed for all four growth traits on Angus Breedplan.
Its 200 day growth is +76, 400 day growth is +138 and 600 day growth is +184.
Recruit weighed 880 kilograms when the bulls were weighed just prior to the sale but he had consistently been more than 100kg heavier than the other bulls in his contemporary group at both 200 days and 400 days.
Elevated in the catalogue from lot 16 to lot 2, Recruit attracted rapid fire bidding as the crowd watched the video of the stylish bull roll through.
Commercial breeders, Fisher Clover Ridge Pastoral, Marcollat, put in the winning bid.
It was a case of dejavu with Clover Ridge also buying Granite Ridge's 2021 sale topper for the same money.
Elders southern livestock manager Laryn Gogel, who was adding up the bids during the auction, is also Clover Ridge's livestock agent.
He said the bull appealed to owner Greg Fisher for its extra length and tremendous muscle expression.
"He is a little bit of a gamble because we haven't seen what he is going to be in six months time," Mr Gogel said.
"Greg is going to concentrate on getting them (the cattle) thick but he has got a few females that he wants to put a little extra length and a little more muscle tone on them, that bull has the capability of giving us extra length and dimension ."
Two lots later, Clover Ridge were back in the action securing Granite Ridge Rogue Mode R210 for $31,000.
By United States sire, Baldridge Beast Mode the March 2020-drop was also packed with performance having the largest eye muscle area and intramuscular fat scan among the draft at 129 square centimetres and 7.1.
Former owner of the Granite Ridge stud, Colin Flanagan, again showed his continued faith in the breeding program selecting lot 41, Granite Ridge Rusty R102, for his new Prime Angus stud in north east Vic.
He said he had been willing to go to $30,000 for Rusty based on the strength of its maternal pedigree.
"We believe the Wonderland family she would be the second top family line in the cow herd, we bought a bull from the top line three years ago- that is what we are looking for the family lines to bring into the Prime herd," he said.
"He (Rusty) will be bring a lot of weight to his calves which is what we get paid for and carcase quality."
Despite these dizzying heights it was the strength of the bidding in the $13,000 to $19,000 range that ensured the Finlay family posted a more than $2500 increase in average compared to 2021.
In a total clearance they sold 93 bulls for an outstanding $13,226 average.
Twenty three more bulls sold than in 2021 helped by the big gallery of buyers- 51 registerd bidders, along with plenty of action on AuctionsPlus.
Leading the volume buyers was Kangaroo Island cattleman Peter Murray who secured 17 bulls for a $12,882 average, paying to a $20,000 high.
Another long-time supporter, Hillcrest Pastoral Company, Avenue Range, bought seven bulls for a $14,571 average for their Conkar Plains.
Boonderoo Pastoral Company, Conmurra, also took home seven bulls for a $17,143 average.
PS&KE Vandepeer, Kingston SE, bought six bulls paying to a $20,000 high but securing four at $9000 each.
Mr Gogel had high praise for the Granite Ridge offering describing it as a tremendous draft of bulls with figures but also phenotype and docility.
"They have probably taken a frame score out of them and softened them down a lot and put some extra capacity in them," he said.
"More importantly the guys that work with them have got them to a point where they are so, so good on temperament."
He said buyers were "up and active" on the lots they wanted.
Stud principal Scott Finlay said he was "over the moon" with the sale result and their journey since buying the stud in 2019.
He said their continual focus was breeding Angus cattle with "plenty of power and plenty of weight" and thanked their dedicated team for their efforts throughout the year.
"We are having a ball doing this, we absolutely love it," he said.
Elders conducted the sale.
Two pens of commercial Granite Ridge-blood pregnancy-tested-in-calf heifers, which were on display near the sale bulls, were offered in the eastern states cattle sale at the same time as the auction.
Eight of these heifers-which are due to calve in March-made $3920, while the other 10 females sold for $3540.
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