THE hard work to get the Ensay Hereford calf sale show on the road paid off, with a new price record of $2780 a head set at the high country saleyards.
Nearly 100 millimetres of rain fell in the days prior to the feature weaner sale, wreaking havoc for the Elders livestock agents to offer the nearly 1000-strong yarding for auction.
Despite the logistical challenges of hosting the sale in extreme wet conditions, vendors looked past the mud to focus on some of the most respected Hereford genetics on sale.
"We have had 70-100mm of rain throughout the district in the pat week," Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said.
"It's been very hard going and we tried the best we could to get the cattle penned but we came here and the yards had cracked up and deteriorated overnight.
"Our vendors put their heart and soul into this sale, and you can see the breeding in the stock and that came from the efforts these people put into their stock."
While this meant nearly 40 yards of Herefords were divided into smaller pens and spread across the saleyards, bidding was far from dampened by the wet conditions.
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The sale kicked off with 21 European Union-accredited, weaned Hereford calves offered by Reedy Flat Hereford breeders Craig and Jane Lloyd, which sold to $2560, mirroring the price of the second pen of Hereford/Shorthorn sold by Evan Newcomen, Ensay.
It was the third pen a part of Newcomen Hereford stud principal Barry Newcomen's draft of 94 steers and 48 heifers that set the saleyard record with 21 steers, 428kg, that fetched $2780.
Bluey Commins, Nunniong Herefords, Ensay, was awarded the best presented pen at the sale for 21 EU-accredited steers that hit $2390.
Darlimurla grass finisher Jeannie Kilpin purchased a pen of Evan Newcomen's mid-weight steers to $2380, and said the price was consistent from the opening to the closing bid of the sale.
"That's what you had to pay to get good-quality genetics," Ms Kilpin said.
Anthony Delaney, Nutrien Delaney Livestock, Pakenham, was the force in the buying gallery, purchasing 300 Herefords for Gippsland backgrounders.
Bidding at his side was Pat Cleary, EMC Livestock, Moss Vale, who secured 140, 300-350kg Hereford weaners to average $2240.
"Despite the conditions the cattle are good," Mr Cleary said.
Elders Yea livestock manager Jamie Quinlan purchased 60 head of Hereford steers to agist locally for a backgrounder.
"The cattle are some of the best Hereford cattle and you buy directly from stud breeders who are using the best genetics," he said.