QUIRINDI Hereford breeders Bruce and Pam Gunning, Emu Holes, have been long-time supporters of the Glen Innes Whiteface Sale.
The Gunning family began selling stud bulls at the multi-vendor event in the early 1960s.
They have been a consistent vendor and buyer since then, while also holding 50 years of on-property sales.
"It's been a good sale for us and it's also been a good sale for a lot of smaller studs and new studs just getting started," Mr Gunning said.
"It offers buyers a good cross-section of Hereford cattle to select from and usually people keep their best bulls for Glen Innes."
Mr Gunning estimates that during their 60 year involvement with the sale, they have sold about 50 to 60 bulls and purchased 10 bulls.
In 1980, they paid what was then a sale record of $12,000 for a bull from the Benama stud, Nundle.
"We have bought more bulls at the Glen Innes sale than anywhere else over the years," Mr Gunning said.
"It is also now one of our major outlets for selling bulls.
"The Glen Innes sale has had a big impact on studs throughout Australia with bulls going as far as Western Australia and Tasmania.
"During the 1980s it was a gigantic sale, selling up to 900 bulls."
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The Gunnings have been forced to reduce herd numbers on their 1120-hectare property by about two-thirds due to the drought.
The sale has a very commercial focus and buyers can be confident that what they see is what they get and they'll get a working, functional bull.
- Bruce Gunning, Emu Holes Herefords, Quirindi
But with the turnaround in the season, Mr Gunning is optimistic of a solid result.
"We will have three bulls on offer this year, all with a significant influence from sires that we've bought out of previous Glen Innes sales.
"The sale has a very commercial focus and buyers can be confident that what they see is what they get and they'll get a working, functional bull.
"I'd like to see it up to 100 to 120 bulls again and I think as cow numbers come back up, we can probably achieve that."
Mr Gunning said the country around his area was looking "brilliant."
"We're having an early spring on the Liverpool Plains, it has certainly turned the grass paddocks around.
"We just need some more rain to run water in creeks and dams and build up our subsoil moisture."
