A New England stud in its second year of exhibiting at the Dubbo National Poll Hereford Show took out the grand champion sash at the 2023 event with a cracking young sire.
Valley View Sandman S030 (P), a son of Injemira Anzac H006 M187, was sashed as intermediate and grand champion by judge Alastair Day, Allendale Poll Herefords, Bordertown, South Australia, in front of a strong crowd and online audience from around Australia.
The 23-month-old weighed 934kg and had a raw eye muscle scan of 135sqcm, rump fat of 18mm and rib fat of 10mm, and a scrotal circumference of 39cm.
Sandman was exhibited by Paul and Angela Durkin, Valley View Poll Herefords, Warialda.
The show was held at the Dubbo showground on June 6, drawing 82 junior, intermediate and senior bulls along with nine females from 29 vendors.
Mr Day described Sandman as a clear winner with structural soundness, good hip to pin, hindquarter, and paraded well.
“The bull stood out for his quality, length and soundness – he is something special,” Mr Day said.
Vendor Paul Durkin said the bull was out of Tycolah Countess, a female bought from Tycolah Poll Herefords, Barraba, and had been sashed as grand champion hereford bull at Warialda Show at his showring debut.
Mr Durkin described the win as a thrill considering it was only the second time the stud had exhibited at Dubbo.
“My heart didn’t beat for a while out there,” he said.
The highly competitive junior classes produced LH Wagerer T023 (AI) (PP) as champion exhibited by Ross Lee, Leeway Herefords, Ootha, NSW.
The Allendale Gambler L143 son weighed 710kg, had a raw eye muscle scan of 107sqcm, 13mm of rump fat, 9mm of rib fat, a 38cm scrotal circumference.
In another top result for the Inverell region, 26-month-old Thornleigh Mayfair S157 (P) was shown to reserve senior champion bull by Ben and Annabelle Monie, Thornleigh Herefords, Little Plain.
The Wirruna Mayfair M124 son weighed 1048kg, scanned at 141sqcm eye muscle area, 18 and 12mm, and had a 44cm scrotal circumference.
Meanwhile, in the accompanying sales at the Dubbo Showground, Phil “Bluey” Commins, of Nunniong Herefords, Ensay, Victoria, bid the top price of $30,000 over the phone to secure the grand champion bull Valley View Sandman S030.
In the live lots, 48 bulls sold under the hammer from the 82 offered for a top price of $30,000, gross of $448,500 and average of $9343.
Senior champion bull Llandillo Soldier S42 (TW) (PP), a son of Grathlyn Pacemaker and weighing 968kg, was sold by Llandillo Poll Herefords, The Lagoon, to Bareela Pastoral Company, Barraba, for $17,000.
Bareela Pastoral also paid $12,000 for reserve senior champion Thornleigh Mayfair S157 (P), a son of Wirruna Mayfair M124, sold by Thornleigh Herefords, and $10,000 for Neridah Synergy S006 (AI) (PP).
It was a good sale day for Ben and Annabelle Monie from Thornleigh Herefords, who also sold Thornleigh Anzac S173 (AI) (S), an August 2021 drop son of Allendale Anzac K4, to Neil and Carmel Croker, Taralga, for $18,000. The bull weighed 876kg and scanned with an eye muscle area of 125sqcm.
Nutrien Livestock stud stock manager John Settree, Dubbo, said the sale was underpinned by commercial producers such as Bareela Pastoral with their truck load of five bulls to $17,000.
Mr Settree said commercial producers were selective and had reduced their bull requirements in line with a drop in cattle prices and dry seasonal conditions.
“Those top end bulls always find their mark with the studs seeking genetics, data or phenotype.
“There was a good line up of quality females giving studs an opportunity to add onto their program or start a new family.”
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