Buyers at the Withers family's 11th annual Belmore Shorthorn bull sale had access to quality genetics coupled with value buying.
The sale was held in a new location at Wild Dog Valley, just outside Naracoorte.
In the wrap up, 18 out of 33 bulls sold under the hammer, with a further five going straight after the auction.
The average of $9055 was $1415 up on the 2023 sale.
Purchasing the top price bull were return buyers Richard and Jane Gould, Cortina Pastoral, Lucindale, for their commercial operation.
Mr Gould said the bull caught his eye as an "easy-doing" sire with a lot of quality about it.
The bull Belmore Wrangler T9 (P) was a moderate framed roan out of a first calver.
It was the son of Belmore Wrangler Q303.
The bull weighed 804 kilograms at 23 months, with marbling at 4.5 per cent and an eye muscle area of 114 square centimetres.
As well as the top priced bull, Cortina Pastoral also bought the joint second highest priced sires at $14,000 each - Belmore Zeus T34 (P) and Belmore Zeus T100 (P).
Five sires are heading up to pastoral country with repeat bidders the Greenfield family, Billa Kalina station, via Port Augusta, the volume buyers.
The Greenfields also bought near the top of the catalogue, with their highest priced sire at $13,000.
The second highest volume buyer was Newenham Pty Ltd, Normanville, taking four bulls to $7000.
Stud interest came from Polldale Shorthorns, Dubbo, NSW, who took Lot 9 - Belmore Zeus T114 (P) - for $12,000.
As well as pastoral and interstate buyers, bidding interest also came from the Adelaide Hills, with Erinca Farming Co, purchasing through Nutrien Mount Pleasant, buying Belmore Wrangler T10 (P) for $10,000. The bull had the highest intramuscular fat in the catalogue.
Co-principal Andy Withers described the sale as "up and down".
"I thought the first third of the sale was very good, and some of my favourites sold very well," he said.
Mr Withers said he was pleased with the line-up he presented.
"We're looking for more fat cover and we had that in the bulls today," he said.
"It's more intramuscular fat we're looking for, while maintaining our excellent structure."
The auction was conducted by Nutrien and Elders.
Nutrien SA stud stock manager Gordon Wood auctioneered.
"The sale was well-supported by return buyers that have bought Belmore bulls for many many years but we would have liked to have sold a few more bulls," he said.
"The Withers family is known for breeding good cattle. Belmore's Shorthorns presented very, very well, showing their best genetic potential, without being overdone."
