*Total clearance of 115 bulls to $60,000, av $14,434
BANQUET's annual on-property autumn bull sale proved that big bold Banquet bulls are still as industry relevant as ever.
Bidding was solid in the lead up to the feature lot of the day - Lot 20 - who had been brought forward after the pick of the three embryo transfer brothers, Lot 15, 16 and 17.
The superstar sire was picked up by a syndicate of Alpine Angus, Rosewhite, Keringa Angus, Lameroo, SA, Millah Murrah Angus, Durahmana, NSW, and ABS Australia.
The 18-month-old bull weighed 880 kilograms at the sale and was in the top 1 per cent of the breed for scrotal size.
Trent Walker, Keringa Angus, was in attendance at the sale, purchasing on behalf of the syndicate.
"Both the other stud partners had inspected the bull, and I drove over Thursday morning to do the final inspection," Mr Walker said.
"He's a very usable bull that aligns with all our herds and he's got a balanced set of data.
"He's thick, he has shape and still a moderate bull.
Fletch Kelly, ABS Australia, said they first saw this bull at the Stock & Land Beef Week field day
"And we really liked him so we came back and had another look at him," Mr Kelly said.
"It's not often you find a bull with such powerful phenotypes and so much bone and good looks, but also a nice balanced EBV (estimated breeding values) set.
"He comes from a really strong maternal line in the Banquet herd, and we believe he's got great commercial and seedstock application right across Australia."
Banquet stud principal Stephen Branson was pleased with the result of the sale on a lot of different levels.
"It was was rewarding to see so many people keen to inspect the bulls, and appreciate what we do, and continue to try and do," Mr Branson said.
"It's just great agriculture can support the results that we are seeing across the board in both stud and commercial sales and really everything to do with agriculture production."
The second top-priced bull - Lot 66 - was secured by Coralyn Pastoral, Greenthorpe, NSW, for $33,000.
The third top-priced bull - Lot 54 - was purchased by Daniel and Anne Marie Barlow, Merlewood Angus, Mirboo North, for $30,000.
Volume buyers included Preswon Pty Ltd, Albury, NSW, and Strathbrae Equity Pty Ltd, Inverloch.