Outstanding is the only word to use to describe all facets of the very successful 2nd Annual Premier Genetic Simmental Sale, held at Woonallee, Furner, last Friday.

 

The Baker family's Woonallee Simmental stud again combined forces with the Hodge family�s Waterfront Simmental stud, Tintinara, to host an offering of 70 highest quality bulls, females & genetic packages.

 

A huge crowd of over 350, including 80 registered buyers, attended & experienced first hand the outstanding presentation & hospitality, as well inspecting stock of the highest quality. Buyers were attracted from all mainland states as well as several from New Zealand, and Elders auctioneer Leigh Allen had no trouble extracting bids.

 

The inaugural sale in 2005 was going to be hard to top, but top it they did, with a lift in averages in all sections of the sale. The Woonallee offering included the first bulls from Buzzard Hollow Ranch �Three Sixes�, the exciting South African bloodline bull owned by Mr Fred Schuetze in the USA. Mr Schutze is also President of the USA Simmental Association, and brought the national presidents at this sale to three, with the Australian and New Zealand presidents also in attendance.

 

Despite a top of $21,500, and a lift in bull averages $5,297 last year to $6551.47 this year; there was still outstanding value in the sale. Even with the uniqueness & quality on offer, 16 of the 34 bulls sold from $2,500 to $5,000, which is great value in today�s beef industry. These same genetics regularly top Naracoorte commercial sales, including the Baker family�s commercial heifers that sold the day before, topping at $860.

 

The sale commenced with the young bull Woonallee Gladiator , the reserve junior champion at Adelaide in September at only 12 months of age. In a strong bidding dual, he was knocked down to Ross & Joan Cockburn, Prospect Simmentals, Te Anau, New Zealand.

 

Losing bidder was Cam Emerson. Alva Downs Partnership, Merino, Victoria, but he was successful a short time later, picking up lot 5, Woonallee Enforcer, for the sale top of $21,500. Both these top selling bulls were Three Sixes sons. Cam purchased 3 quality bulls at the inaugural sale last year and was back this year to secure the best. Pushing him to this top were Ian & Maureen Heinrich, Greenways, operating through Landmark Millicent. They were successful 2 lots later, securing Waterfront Zealand, a very impressive dark red bull that ranked very highly on Breedplan & in Gene Star testing for marbling & eating quality.

 

One other bull sold for 5 figures, with Woonallee Vision at lot 2, selling for $12,000 to Audrey Weightman, �Topweight� Simmentals, Margaret River, Western Australia. This extremely powerful & well balanced sire has a pedigree steeped with success & was also sired by �Three Sixes�. Audrey was ecstatic to be able to pick him up for this great value figure.

 

Waterfront�s top priced bull was lot 16 @ $9,500, paid by John & Jennifer Turner, Mahonga Park, Finley, NSW & buying through Paul & Scollard, Albury. Waterfront Zanos was a tan bull, & despite this not being a universally popular colour, the tremendous qualities of this complete sire could not be ignored, He joins 3 Waterfront bulls they purchased last year. They also purchased a Woonallee Three Sixes son for $5,500 later in the catalogue.
After purchasing semen in 2005, Derek Piper, Kelso Grazing Co, Coolah, NSW, was back again this year and purchased Woonallee Satara, an impressive tan South African outcross bull, for $9,000.

 

Hugh Bainger, Hillcrest Pastoral, operating through Elders Lucindale, went to $7,500 & $5,500 in securing 2 top bulls from Waterfront. They were both sons of the very successful Waterfront Usher. Mr Bainger is a strong supporter of Waterfront bulls and also has had consistent sale topping success with their progeny.

 

Tony Robin, Dorchester Investments, Roma, Qld, was one of 3 buyers from that state to purchase; going to $8,500 for a terrific blond Three Sixes son. Paringa Downs Partnership & D & T Allen, both operating through agent Murray Arthur, Roma purchased one bull each, both at a great value $2,500.

 

Volume buyer in the bull section was Ross Marriot, Murdka P/L, through Landmark Leongatha, Vic. He purchased 3 bulls to $7,000 & averaged $6,000; 2 from Woonallee & 1 from Waterfront.

 

Mrs EM Shields, through Dove Livestock, Colac, Vic purchased 2 bulls at $6,500 & $7,000, while Mary Compton, through Elders Heywood, purchased one @ $8,000 to be other strong buyers from Victoria.

 

Windradeen through Patterson Livestock, Wagga, NSW, picked up 2 bulls @ $6,500 & $5,500. Multiple SA bull buyers were the Childs family, Inverness Park through TDC Penola; MJ & LH Fischer through Elders Strathalbyn; Avonel Pastoral through Elders Millicent; & Waterhole Pastoral through Chay & Merrett, Millicent. They all purchased 2 bulls and all were at great value. Exactly half the bull catalogue was purchased by South Australian buyers, with the balance going interstate or to New Zealand. The offering of 34 also included 3 Simmental/Red Angus Composite bulls from the Waterfront stud � the first time they have offered these at auction.

 

The tremendous quality female offering of 9 PTIC & 10 open females was an all interstate & overseas buyers feast. Stuart Moeck, Valley Creek Simmentals, Schofields, NSW paid the top price of $8,000 in this section of the catalogue for a terrific Three Sixes open heifer.

 

Joe & Joanne Peel, Haliotis Fisheries, Mallacoota, Vic went to $7,500 to secure Woonallee Jeanie, the Adelaide Royal 2005 senior champion female, and PTIC to Three Sixes. She was one of 3 females they purchased.

 

Volume buyer in the females was EJ Sleep through J&J Kelly, Warrnambool, Vic picking up 1 open & 3 mated females, paying to $6,750. They also purchased 3 at last year�s sale.

 

Also back & strong in this section of the sale were Malcolm & Ngaire Entwistle, Hampton Downs, Simmentals, New Zealand. They went to $7,000 for a 7 month old pure African heifer that represents the newest Woonallee bloodline & from the very top end of the stud for quality. They also purchased another open heifer for $3,500, after picking up both �flush lots� offered in 2005.

 

Peter Rauchle, Springside Simmentals, Pittswoth, Qld went to $6,000 in securing the top lot of his 3 female purchases, while Peter Trevan, Hazeldell Simmentals, Korumburra, Vic paid $7,000 & $4,750 for 2 top lots.

 

Buyers of last year�s top priced bull @ $23,000; Kerry & Lynda Nankervis, Linmar Simmentals, Taranaki, New Zealand, were back in person this year & purchased one pregnant recipient @ $4,000 plus an ET flush for $4,000 in partnership with fellow New Zealand stud, �Wai-iti� Simmentals.

 

Top in the flush lots was $5,000 paid by Jenna Patterson, Bullock Hills, and Katanning, WA. Jenna has had first hand experience with Woonallee genetics; being a regular at the SA Junior Heifer Expo, showing Woonallee heifers.

 

The semen lots offered also attracted interest and included 5 x 20 straw packages in Three Sixes. F&F Rizzo, through Elders Pakenham, went to $2,800 to secure the first lot of these.

 

Australian Simmental President, Bill Almond, through Rodwells, Wagga paid the top price/straw; going to $1,900 to secure 10 straws of semen from exciting African blood sire BHR Draco.

 

 

Above: Lot 1 and 5 with Cam Emerson and Ross Cockburn 

 

 

Above, left to right: Bull Parade and; Wine tasting at Wynns of Coonawarra 

 

 

Above: Lot 46 Woonallee Polly A1; Sold for $8000 to Stuart Moeck, NSW 

 

 

Above: Lot 39 Woonallee Jeannie Y43; Sold to Joe and Joanne Peel, VIC

 

 

Above, left to right: International guests 

 

 

Above, left to right: Lot 58 and; Lot 45 

 

 

Above, left to right: Lot 23 and; Lot 31