Wormbete Simmentals at Illabo topped at $26,000 and $10,816 average

A total of 38 of 44 stud bulls were sold to a top of $26,000 and sale average of $10,816.

In the breakdown all 16 black bulls were sold to a top of $26,000 and average of $13,250 while 22 of 28 traditional bulls were sold to a top of $22,000 and $9045.

The top price was up from $20,000 at their sale this time last year with the overall sale average also up by about $700.

Ms Hopkins said she was very happy with the results with good repeat buyer support but also many new buyers.

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"It's a great testament to see where the program is going and is very encouraging for us," she said.

Ms Hopkins said they sold a bull to Western Australia for the first ever time, as well as a number of bulls heading to Queensland and Victoria, which she said was very positive for them.

"It was terrific to see interest from across the country," she said.

Mr Hopkins said their black program is getting stronger every year.

"We're on the right track selling yearling bulls," he said.

The top-priced bull was the black yearling Wormbete Statesman S46, son of Lancaster Powerful P333, sold to Heffernan Livestock, Cathkin, for $26,000.

The bull was Homozygous polled and Homozygous black and ranked in the top 10 per cent for rib fat, rump fat and intra-muscular fat, as well as the top 10pc in the domestic maternal index, northern terminal index and top 15pc in the export maternal index.

Darcey Heffernan said the bull was the biggest best growing bull available on the day and will be used for their commercial herd.

As first time Wormbete buyers Ms Heffernan said they were looking to get some different genetics into their herd with the bull to be put over Poll Hereford, Angus and Simmental/Poll Herefords.

Ms Hopkins said Statesman S46 was a standout for the stud from day one with the quality, frame and growth evident to buyers.

"Since a calf the bull has been outstanding," she said.

"It's a phenomenal calf and out of a female (Wormbete Advanced Iris M146) that for the last three years has been producing high quality calves."

Ms Hopkins said the bull was strong genetically and chose to retain semen from the bull for their own program and is looking forward to seeing its progeny.

In the heifers 10 of 13 were sold to a top of $8000 and $5800 average.

The top-priced heifer was the yearling Wormbete Kate S86, daughter of Wormbete Parliamentarian P185 and Wormbete Kate L89, sold to Cody Smoothy, Crows Nest QLD, for $8000 on AuctionsPlus.

The heifer was noted in the catalogue to be a soft, really easy fleshing heifer with thickness and a great outlook.

Kate S86 was Heterozygous polled and ranked in the top 10pc for eye muscle area and top 15pc for retail beef yield.

The selling agent was Nutrien Wagga Wagga with Tim Woodham and Hamish McGeoch as auctioneers, and the sale was interfaced with AuctionsPlus.