114 quality Angus bulls sold to a top of $20,000 and averaged $5864 at Stephen and Noeleen Branson's Banquet Angus sale recently.
The very strong top end of the sale that saw the first 40 bulls offered average over $7800. While 18 bulls sold for $10,000 or more, there was outstanding value to be found throughout the catalogue with 55 bulls selling for $4500 or less. The Banquet bulls obviously work very well for their buyers, as 99 of the 114 bulls sold went to repeat clients.
Lot 13 Banquet Designer D292 made the $20,000 top price in a winning bid from Duncan and Oopy MacGillivray, Wittalocka Angus, Keith. The bull was sired by New Zealand bull Matauri Stockman 526 and was one of five sons in the sale, which averaged $10,500. Three of these, including the sale topper, have had semen retained by Banquet.
The MacGillivrays, who will stage their first on-property sale next year at Keith after years of successful private sales, have had great success with Banquet bloodlines in their 100 cow stud herd and their 1000-strong commercial cow herd. They later added Banquet Dale D602 for $7000, which was the highest growth bull in the catalogue.
There were successful buyers present from five states. Ken Badenoch, buying through Keatley Livestock's Mt Gambier representative Alan Kranz, bought three bulls from $5000 to $6000.
Ian Grosson, buying on behalf of Karen Arnott, Koomoorang Angus, Currabubula, paid $11,000 for Banquet Duval D264. Previously, Karen had bought the $20,000 top-priced Banquet bull at the 2008 sale.
David, Gail and Colin Geddes, Warranboo Partnership, have bought a top Banquet bull in each of the past five sales, with this year no exception. David and Colin got in early and grabbed lot 1, Banquet Driscoll D92, another X030 son, for $10,000.
George Rose, Longford stud, Armidale, New South Wales, secured Banquet Dandy D274 (ET) for $11,000, by Ardrossan Admiral A2 and out of Banquet Dream V104.
Peter Attard, 'Shingle Hut', Moura, Queensland, paid $13,000 for Banquet Danny D277, another son of X030