BIDDING reached a high of $18,000 at the 28th annual Shorthorn Spring Fling multi-vendor bull sale at Tamworth Regional Livestock Exchange last Thursday.
Fifteen studs offered 76 bulls, with 59 selling for a clearance of 78 per cent and a record sale average of $7144.
Repeat clients Stuart and Angus Faulks, "Arranmore", Manilla, took home the top bull, Nagol Park ELMT Letsgo, by Biss Element 79 370Z from Nagol Park Theo Romance Z047.
The 23-month-old weighed 894 kilograms with a scrotal circumference of 40 centimetres.
He measured 18 millimetres and 10mm for rump and rib fat, and an eye muscle area (EMA) of 128 square centimetres.
Bungulla Lane, a 27-month-old son of Kamilaroi Hannibal and Bungulla Carnation H50, sold for $16,000 to Jason and Kylie Catts, Futurity Shorthorns, Baradine.
Lane weighed 922kg, had a scrotal circumference of 39cm, 13mm and 10mm on the rump and rib, and a 130cm2 EMA.
Warren Coventry, "Lynoch", Armidale, bought 24-month-old Moombi Opera L23, a son of Moombi Oscar J27 and Moombi Joyce G47, for $14,000.
The bull weighed 966kg and had a scrotal circumference of 38cm, with 12mm and 7mm on the rump and rib and an EMA of 134cm2.
Mr Coventry also took home Moombi Opera L55, a 24-month-old roan bull by Moombi Oscar J27 from Moombi Duchess H20, for $12,000. The 926kg bull had a 41cm scrotal circumference, rump and rib fat of 19mm and 10mm, and an EMA of 130cm2.
Two bulls – Bungulla Love Shack and Moombi Hugo L63 – made $11,000, selling to the Fitzgerald family, "West Nombi", Mullaley, and Marrington Shorthorns, Dubbo.
Five bulls – Moombi Sparta L206, Oakton Liberator L42, Kingsley Vale Lager L13, Bungulla Lockyer and Bungulla Land Cove – sold for $10,000.
Max Ireland, “Prairie Fields”, Walcha, was the volume buyer, purchasing five bulls that averaged $5800.
Mr Coventry bought another two bulls, with his draft of four averaging $10,750.
The Fitzgerald family; Tucka Farming, “Tucka Tucka”, Boggabilla; the Price family, “Churinga”, Hannaford, Queensland; and the Groth family, “Hillmoor”, Upper Horton, each purchased three bulls, averaging $8500, $8666, $7666 and $4666 respectively.
The sale was settled by Elders Tamworth, with Elders Stud Stock agents Andy McGeoch and Brian Kennedy at the rostrum.