A pure-bred Limousin weaner steer lifted the lid on sale records at the 13th annual Glen Innes potential show steer sale on Monday with 285 kilograms selling for 2450 cents a kilogram or $6982.
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Bred by Wallabadah breeders and long time supporters of this sale, Col and Lorna McGilchrist, the apricot-coloured calf is the son of a home-bred sire and cow, with Mandayan blood on both sides.
The syndicate who placed the top bid will show the steer on the Queensland circuit but will be destined to return to Glen Innes for the Beef Extravaganza show steer hoof and hook competition, September 10-11.
The top steer is the second calf out of a cow that produced a show-worthy bull calf the first time she gave birth, while her maternal cousin won grand champion carcase two weeks ago at Canberra, prepared and shown by Coonamble High School.
From the age of one week Mr McGilchrist said the potential place-getter presented with such a terrific top-line that he picked him a winner from the start.
"He went ahead like nothing and I was just amazed. He grew and grew. And it didn't matter what the angle he always looked good," he said.
"He would have been worth keeping as a commercial bull but I'm passionate about show steers so I cut him.
"In the end it wasn't a bad decision as I got bull money for a steer."
The same breeder won reserve champion with a steer born to a replacement cow with Mandayan blood, selling the 287kg for 1800c/kg to Spence's Show Steers, Keith SA. The calf will be fed to win by the Nicholls family at Rukenvale via Kyogle on the Northern Rivers.
Third-place ribbon went to one of the heaviest steers, at 439kg for the July-drop calf, Limousin over Limousin/Angus bred by Trevor and Lyn Newcombe, Duri via Tamworth, which sold for 1300c/kg or $5707 to Travis Luscombe Show Steers, Dalby Qld, a long-standing supporter and champion of the Beef Extravaganza.
"I've never seen a steer with that much muscle and horsepower and softness that has ever come through our sale," commented organiser Shad Bailey of Colin Say and Co.
"It was actually destined for Sydney Royal but wasn't quite ready."
Fourth-placed steer was produced by first time vendor Gary Fletcher, from Tenterfield, who sold a pure-bred Limousin steer 322kg for 1100c/kg to Coonamble High School
The best Murray Grey steer placed fifth at 233kg and selling for $1750c/kg produced by the Spry family, Bundarra.
The calf was by Carlinga Louisville Slugger from a Glenliam Farm Juggernaut Murray Grey daughter and was a stand-out from a young age, said Ben Spry.
One of the volume buyers at Monday's potential show steer sale was Owen Wormsley, Glen Innes, who purchased among other calves a 303kg pure-bred Limousin that made $1100c/kg bred by Peter and Pauline Grant, Wilsons Downfall via Stanthorpe.
Buyers came from South Australia to Queensland's Darling Downs and included school from the Central West and Northern Tablelands, from Wellington to Bonalbo.
Overall about 80 per cent of cattle on offer had Limousin or Limousin-infused genetics with the balance showing European influence, such as the Simmental calf produced by John Devlin of Inverell that sold to a syndicate for 1350c/kg.
The average of all steers sold was $1122c/kg, up 400c/kg on last year excited by the offering of $30,000 prize money at this year's Extravaganza, with $4000 for school entries and $3000 for winners bought from Monday's sale, making it the most lucrative hook and hoof event in the country," said Mr Bailey.
The sale was held by Colin Say and Co, Glen Innes.
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