Yulgilbar Santa Gertrudis stud on the Upper Clarence celebrated 69 years in the breed with a record price for its "best bull ever".
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At an $80,000 top the 55 bulls sold, from 75 offered, averaged $9981.
Even as a young calf those with an eye selected Yulgilbar Springsteen S032, homozygous poll by Waco Pioneer P110, as this year's price-setter.
The top $80,000 bid from the Atkinson family at Cardona, Blackwater, Qld, justified the views of those early appreciators, like manager Brett Ellem who tagged the young sire the "best bull ever bred by Yulgilbar".
Presenting at 922 kilograms, with a 141 square centimetre eye muscle area, he also ranked well for intra muscular fat, measuring 6.6 per cent.
From a daughter of Warenda Sahara it was his structure and presence that niggled the thinking of Craig Atkinson who went looking for blood outside the Cardona stud and liked the look of Springsteen for his length and muscle pattern, strength and tidy undercarriage. The sire will join a program involving 450 stud cows.
Cardona featured well at Yulgilbar in 2019 when sale-topper Yulgilbar Nebraska, by Cardona Patterson, made $41,000. The first 15 Patterson sons offered that year averaged $13,466.
Springsteen's keen underbidder was Col and Dion Patterson, Hardigreen Park Santa Gertrudis stud at Wallabadah, who went home empty-handed.
"He had a clean sheath, a nice front end. He was a good all-'rounder," said Mr Patterson. "He was a powerful bull."
The top bull's pen-mate, Yulgilbar Signature S56 sold for the second top-price of $21,000 to Laura and Chud Dennis, Elgin, at Clermont, Qld.
Presenting at 874kg with a 134sqcm EMA his growth figures were within the top 5pc of the breed with top 10pc for carcase IMF at 5.8pc.
Signature will join a herd of commercial pure- and cross-bred cows with progeny grown out on Buffel grass for direct consignment.
Elgin was originally part of three grand Queensland properties that included Avon Downs and Disney, owned by King Ranch of Texas fame who brought the breed Downunder.
As if to emphasise their brand, Elgin's neighbour Disney came away with the greatest number of bulls at Friday's sale, with 11 in total paying to $16,000 for Yulgilbar Sniper S140, 21 months; a homozygous poll by Tookey Creek Malta from a daughter of Hardigreen Park Nautilus.
He presented at 812kg with 131sqcm EMA and second-highest IMF of the draft at 6.9pc.
The highest IMF bull on offer, Yulgilbar Snooker S242, also by Tookey Creek Malta, with 7.2pc, sold for $8000 and will join the rest on Disney.
Long-time repeat buyer Craig Ross, Kemmis Creek Station at Nebo, Qld, went home with six sires, paying twice to $18,000 for Yulgilbar Sherlock by Waco Queenslander Q384 and Yulgilbar Sir Rupert S58 by Yulgilbar Patriot P034 - Best son of Moonganna Karachi - from a daughter of Yarrawonga Drover J586.
In 2018 Mr Ross paid the top money of $41,000 for Yulgilbar Lieutenant L68.
Long-term repeat buyer Collingwood Pastoral at Tara, Qld, came away with five bulls to $11,000 for Yulgilbar Statement S122 by Cardona Patterson P53; 856kg with 129sqcm EMA and 6.2 IMF.
Bulls were sold into the Macleay, the Clarence and the Richmond with Brad Simcox, Theresa Creek, paying $15,000 for Yulgilbar Strongbow S060 by Yulgilbar Patriot P034. This bull will be put to Hereford cows.
Closer to the coast previous top female buyer Norm Black, Federal, paid $12,000 for Yulgilbar Simply Better S010 by Red Doc Never Better.
The sale was conducted by George and Fuhrmann with Innes Fahey catching the bids from the rostrum, while Auctions Plus with 76 users and 45 registered bidders managed the online space.
