Brother buys top at final sale

In the dual-vendor invitational sale, Walmona, Neales Flat, offered 28 bulls, selling 14 to $12,000, averaging $6357, while Nangaringa, Loxton, had seven of 13 sold, to a top of $10,000, averaging $6000.

Overall, the sale averaged $6238 for the 21 bulls sold.

There was spirited bidding, with several buyers chasing Lot 5 - Walmona Chuck (PS) WAL20MR55 - with the race won by Spring Creek stud, Dalby, Qld, through Santa Gertrudis general manager Chris Todd.

The 626-kilogram, 17-month-old bull was sired by Walmona Adonis (AI) (PS) WAL18MP11.

Walmona Chuck had a 117 square centimetre eye muscle area with 10 millimetres rib fat and a 11mm rump fat. It had a 1.16kg daily weight gain, a 34-centimetre scrotal circumference and an intramuscular fat percentage of 6.1.

Walmona stud principal Michael Doering said his line up was on par with that of the past few years, with the top price bull one he admired.

"He is a growthy young bull," he said.

"His sire is by Yarrawonga Fixer, who was supreme in Adelaide and Brisbane a few years back, so he is from a pretty good bloodline.

"He stood out from a combination of his fingers with growth, colour and IMF."

The Spring Creek stud is run by brother Andrew Doering, who also bought the top-price bull at his very first sale seven years ago, with Michael calling it a feel-good moment to repeat that for his last SA sale due to moving interstate.

Mr Doering was emotional, thanking all the people who had supported his stud whether they were a buyer, agent or friend.

"My brother Paul has been a pretty important part of my life up until now - we have been in partnership for 60 years," he said.

"The Santa Gertrudis group in SA have been like family, even the agents and the buyers it's all been like a family.

"It's going to be difficult but exciting moving."

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The second highest price was $10,000, which was paid twice - once for Lot 1, Walmona Casino (P) WAL20MR47 and once for Lot 7, Nangaringa Ricky (P) NAN20MR159, both sold to Sandover Pastoral Company, NT.

The Nangaringa top price bull was a 691kg, rising two-year-old bull sired by Nangaringa K329 (P) NAN14MK329.

It had a 0.95kg daily weight gain, a 40cme scrotal circumference, and an IMF percentage of 6.7.

Nangaringa Ricky had a 129 square cm eye muscle area with 16 millimetres rib fat and a 21mm rump fat.

Nangaringa stud principal Richard Fogden said the sale started strong but lacked competition, despite the quality of stock.

"The quality of cattle was very good," he said.

"They were big in size and Mike has had them for a long time.

"They were big boys."

Nutrien stud stock manager Gordon Wood said the sale started off pretty well.

"We had a pretty good start for sale, we just ran out of buyers towards the the end," he said.

"It was a buyers day, without question, with some value buying in amongst these cattle.

"The quality of bulls were fantastic, a great representation of the Santa breed - we just didn't quite have the the number of buyers here to take them on."

Mr Wood said the majority buyers were repeat clients, with one new buyer.

The sale's volume buyers included Nangaringa's top buyer Sandover Pastoral Co, NT, which paid $10,000 twice with an average of $7400.

New buyer Spean Pastoral Co, Esk, Qld, bought four bulls to a top of $8000 and average of $5750, while repeat buyer Cowarie Pastoral Company, Birdsville, Qld, also bought four, all at $5000.

The sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus and successfully sold two bulls via the platform.

The sale was conducted by Nutrien Beaton Agencies Kapunda and Elders Roseworthy with Nutrien stud stock manager Gordon Wood on the gavel.