In a year when it felt like bulls needed little help in soaring to record levels, the entrants in ACM's Sire Shootout set the results bar even higher in 2021.
This year's competition attracted 103 bulls with 84 of them cleared under the hammer at public auctions to average $25,292, up on last year's 66 public auction bulls averaging $24,303.
The top price also climbed from $180,000 to $225,000 for Ben and Wendy Mayne's entry Texas Iceman R725 secured by Gloucester-based Macka's Angus for what was an Australian Angus record price at the time.
Despite evolving as a direct result of the cancellation of shows and sales following COVID-19 in 2020, ACM has announced the event will return for a third year in 2022.
Entries will open from May 26 to June 9 with the competition to air on the Facebook pages and websites of ACM's six agriculture mastheads across the country from June 28 to 30.
The competition will also welcome the inclusion of data sets during judging including estimated breeding values and raw scans, along with offering entrants the chance to showcase their animal from three video angles rather than just one.
For the second straight year in 2021, GDL were major partners of the competition pledging $10,000 in support.
GDL's Harvey Weyman-Jones said Sire Shootout offered great benefits for both bull breeders and buyers, with no limits on location.
"You don't have to win the competition to be in the game, all you have to do is be in it," he said.
"You are getting great exposure and some of the higher price bulls perhaps didn't earn a ribbon in the competition themselves but they came into their form at sale time after that exposure.
"We like this competition because it's all about marketing our client's cattle and allowing buyers to see what's coming up but we are also keen to put money back into the industry and the stud breeding industry."
Interestingly, again in 2021 it wasn't the Sire Shootout winner who brought the top money but the competition did aid as an important launchpad for Barronessa Holloway.
Initially entered for private sale, the strong interest in the Ultrablack bull after his win persuaded the Strazzeri family from the Atherton Tablelands to nominate the bull for the Rockhampton Brangus Sale where their draft of six bulls averaged $23,883.
Barronessa Holloway went on to sell for $23,000 to River Park Farms, Kenilworth.
Speaking on behalf of the stud, Jeff Strazzeri said they couldn't put a value on the level of exposure the competition offered.
"If you look at the actual follow up, the build up and all the online photos and stories; you couldn't put a value on that," he said.
"At the end of the day it's not a huge capital like going to a show when you have entry fees, transport and being with those animals. This only requires a bit of preparation and the videos.
"We usually sell 100 bulls every year by private treaty but that exposure with him means we only have six Brangus bulls we are holding for next year and apart from that we have only got young Charbrays."
Runner up 4 Ways MLR Qupid Q46E didn't get his Ekka berth but was still bound for the Queensland herd of Moongool Charolais, Yuleba, when they paid $52,500 through Elite Livestock Auctions.
This year Sire Shootout grew in every way; 21 more bulls competed from six states rather than four and viewers were up more than 3500 across Facebook and website platforms.
The viewers choice judging also attracted twice as many votes.
How the Sire Shootout winners sold
Sire Shootout winner - Barronessa Holloway - $23,000
Sire Shootout runner up - 4 Ways MLR Qupid Q46E - $52,500
Viewer's Choice winner - Cebella Brunswick - Passed in at auction and retained.
Bos indicus class 2nd place - Kandanga Valley Quinnell - $17,000
Bos indicus class 3rd place - Barronessa Cerrone - $26,000
Bos indicus class 4th place - Watasanta Policeman 2672 - $34,000
Bos indicus class 5th place - Byac Quarterback - $18,000
British class 1st place - Texas Beast Mode Q725 - $36,000
British class 2nd place -Tycolah Secret Agent Q007 - $34,000
British class 3rd place - Texas Ashland Q400 - $30,000
British class 4th place - Kylandee Quamby - $26,000
British class 5th place - Mountain Valley Gabba Q995 - $34,000
European class 1st place - Moongool Quiz Master - $36,000
European class 3rd place - Palgrove Qracker Q2105E - $75,000
European class 4th place - Chardonnay Blackjack Q4E - $17,000
European class 5th place - Charnelle Quickstep - $16,000
Other Sire Shootout public sale bulls
Glengarry Judgement - $16,000
Glengarry Big Town - $12,000
Benelkay Quechua Q170 - $21,000
Glengarry Red Revenue - $4,000
Palmvale Escobar - $8,000
Glengarry Top Deck - $12,000
Bryvonlea Volvo - $18,000
Smithy's Countach - $19,000
Voewood Quinnlyn Q261 - $16,000
Palmvale Pinkerton - $12,000
Billabong Jedi 9323 - $65,000
Moongool Mr 347 - $27,500
JNH Outlaw - $20,000
Malabar TR Creed 1908 - $36,000
Malabar TR Rocky 1907 - $22,000
Garthowen Bad Attitude 3 - $14,000
Watasanta P.T 2688M - $100,000
Watasanta Prime Mover 2654 - $72,500
Watasanta Plentiful 2630 - $16,000
Mogul Kingston - $6,000
Mogul Kidman - $6,500
Sunny Lawn Eclipse 1431 - $12,000
Bundy Kawasaki - $9,000
Kandanga Valley Quarterback - $32,000
Benelkay Quartermaster Q012 - $30,000
JNH Mcgee - $30,000
Araketa Rhett - $10,000
JRL James Bond - $21,000
Vale View Carlos 2 - $17,000
JRL Numeral - $12,000
Wattlebray Pin Up - $35,000
Wingfield Quintain 3021 - $22,500
Minlacowie Xian 9130 - $30,000
Bundaleer Sir Jasper Manso - $9,000
Pentire Rome R22 - $22,000
Texas Iceman R725 - $225,000
Dorroughby Ringmaster - $18,000
Dorroughby Commander - $22,000
Blue Spark Rogue R05 - $11,000
Blue Spark Ragnarok R18 - $9,000
K5X Quality Q53 - $16,000
Warragundi Anzac Q078 - $14,000
Warragundi Jet Q005 - $7,000
Warragundi Quincy Q003 - $9,000
Warragundi Anzac Q027 - $11,000
Kidman Hitman Q067 - $28,000
Mountain Valley Quintrex Q418 - $26,000
Ascot Phoenix P422 - $32,000
Ascot Quantum Q62E - $20,000
Ascot Quartermaster Q60E - $18,000
Ascot Revolution R320 - $47,000
Ascot Regent R120E - $38,000
Raff Napoleon N327 - $21,000
Lone Station Quick Draw - $10,000
Clay Gully Quasom - $17,000
ANC Quality Q378F - $17,000
ANC Quantum Leap Q55F - $8,000
Milford Braxton - $25,000
4 Ways Quantum Q22E - $40,000
Mala-Daki Shock N Awe Q13 - $14,000
BJF Thaiday Sean - $8,000
Tullayr Quadie - $17,000
Mt Mooney Quicksand - $8,000
BJF Chunk Donna Q407 - $16,000
Daraabah Quade - $20,000
Nangur Q954 - $12,000
Grangeburn Quickdraw - $20,000
Jarravale Q038 - $13,000
Yerwal Est Queenslander - $18,000
Joken Apollo
Voewood Quarry Q243 - Withdrawn from sale
Fairview Quota Q111 - Withdrawn from sale
Ascot Quickdraw Q399 - Withdrawn from sale
Palgrove Quiteabull Q1652E - Withdrawn from sale
Minnamurra Quicksilver Q2 - Withdrawn from sale
Billabong Jameson 9402 - Withdrawn from sale
Other Sire Shootout private sale bulls
Melander Quambatook
Bradford Regal Summit R001
Bandeeka Ruffian R30
Biarra Valley Royal
Bonnydale Dividend R43
Greenland Quantoro Q1
Redgums The Dude Q6 - Retained
Nampara Freightliner R11
Bundaleer Lazy George
PHA Queenslander Q37 - Retained
Wirrigai Conman