A Victorian high country Hereford stud has defied industry expectations by selling a majority of its 2024 sale bulls and recording a top price equal to its sale last year.
The Sykes and Hill families of Karoonda Hereford stud, Gelantipy, sold 59 of 66 Hereford bulls to a top price of $30,000 to average $8632.
In comparison, the stud sold 60 of 64 bulls in 2023 to a top price of $30,000 and an average of $10,200.
Commercial and stud buyers competed for their share of Hereford bulls, with future sires knocked down to clients in four states including Victoria, South Australia, NSW, and Tasmania.
Karoonda Hereford stud co-principal Paul Sykes, who runs the operation with his wife Judi, and their daughter and son-in-law Lauren and Lynton Hill, said it was "blown away" by the result.
"We were blessed with many return buyers, some new buyers and a couple of stud buyers," Mr Sykes said.
"We expected the worst and probably had a better-than-average sale."
The stud initially planned to offer 82 Hereford bulls, but withdrew 16 lots in the lead-up to the sale.
"The bulls weren't up to the presentation standards we set for our sale," Ms Hill said.
One of the underpinning factors of the sale was the support from 14 graziers at Omeo and Benambra who bought 22 bulls across the sale.
The first top-priced bull, Lot 3 Karoonda Altitude, was bought in partnership by John and Amanda Pendergast, trading as AS & GJ Pendergast, Benambra, and Donald Betts, Benambra, for $30,000.
The heterzygous polled bull was born in February 2022, sired by Markowen Diana K044 and out of Karoonda Cherry Ripe M674.
"He more or less had everything like great colour, excellent depth, good eyes and seems to be reasonably quiet too," Mr Pendergast said.
"The Karoonda bulls all offer something and they're just good-quality bulls because they're sound, they work and they produce quality calves."
"The best thing is if you ever need any help or have a question, Paul, Lauren or Lynton is here to help you and they know what they're talking about."
Mr Pendergast said the bull would be transported to Benambra in the coming weeks and then joined to a group of 29 Hereford cows at Beloka.
"I used to be flat out on [Estimated Breeding Values] but all his EBVs are in the mid-range and that's what we want, a bull with not too much fluctuation," he said.
"After he's done at Beloka, I'll bring him back to Benambra where I run 100 breeders and put him in the bull paddock."
The second equal-top-priced bull, Lot 4 Karoonda Alpine, was bought by George and Shirley Hardcastle, McPherson Hereford stud, Old Koreelah, NSW, via agent Phelan & Henderson & Co director David Phelan, Staceys Bridge.
The horned March 2022-drop bull was sired by Mawarra Exceptional L095 and out of Karoonda First Day J124.
Mr Phelan, one of Karoonda's longest-serving buyers, also purchased a bull for George and Lorraine Simmons, Woodside, for $5000 and the Whiteside family, Leongatha South, for $12,500.
"All of these bulls are very, very quiet, genuine and sound," Mr Phelan said.
"I know of bulls that were pulled out of this sale today because [Paul Sykes] thought they might have a problem with a toe or something later on and you don't find that everywhere.
"You can buy Karoonda bulls with your eyes shut."
Among the other notable purchasers were return buyers Greg and Nikki Alcock, Kylo Herefords, Bungarby, NSW, who bought Lot 50 Karoonda Apollo for $20,000.
Tony and Barb Hollis, Lotus Hereford stud, Glen Innes, NSW, bought Lot 14 Karoonda Award for $19,000 via Mr Pehlan.
Benambra graziers Peter and Sue Soutter, trading as PJ & SM Soutter, bought Lot 60 Karoonda Admiral for $17,000.
The volume buyers included Trevor and Carryn Caithness, Caithness Pastoral, Bairnsdale, who bought four bulls to $8000, $6000 and $5000 twice.
Vince Pendergast and Craig Orchard, trading as WA Pendergast, Benambra, bought three bulls to a top price of $12,000, and two other bulls for $11,000 and $7000, while WG & PM Connley, Benambra, bought four bulls.
The interstate buyers included R Grady, Munga Downs, Carpenter Rocks, SA, who bought Lot 11 for $8000, and Westbae Pastoral, Nook, Tasmania, which bought Lot 1 for $7000.
Nutrien Stud Stock southern region manager Peter Godbolt described the result as a "very strong sale" in the wake of several Gippsland sales where low clearance rates were recorded.
"There were return buyers both commercially and from a stud perspective who were buying bulls here and that helped the sale along," he said.
"The clearance was very good and that comes back to many of the buyers having strong results in the recent calf sales, many of whom topped those sales with Karoonda bloodlines.
"There was still some very good value though with people buying bulls at $5000, $6000 and $7000."