SMILES on buyers' faces as they left the Branson family's Banquet Angus bull sale at Mortlake, Vic, last Thursday said it all.
With a 25 per cent drop in average price on that achieved in the previous three Banquet sales, it was certainly one very much in the buyers' favour.
A total of 101 grassfed bulls sold at an average of $5243, down $144 on last year, with 33 bulls sold at the $3000 base price (32 per cent).
An indicator of the swing in buyers' favour was the decrease by 33 in registrations, with 81 buyers from four states indicating their interest.
The sale topped at $32,000, the highest since 2011 and the first 10 bulls averaged $12,750 including five above $10,000.
Given pre-sale interest, lot five Banquet Harman H261 (AI) (ET) was brought forward to be offered first. After a somewhat cautious opening, two phone bidders exchanged rapid-fire bids to take him up to the $32,000, paid by repeat clients Blyth Brothers, Fernleigh Angus, Ellinbank, Vic. This 23-month-old, 925 kilogram and frame score 7 bull had sire power written all over him, plus balanced figures to match, topping at +112 for 600-day weight.
Banquet was keen to retain an interest in the bull because of his breeding strength. He was by Banquet Xplanation X060 and out of the outstanding Vermont Irene W47. They retained semen, but also had an offer to re-purchase a half-share back in the bull for shared physical use if convenient with the eventual purchasers. Blyth Brothers took up that option, much to Steve and Noeleen Branson's delight.
While H261 was the standout top-price bull, there was also a standout individual buying account. Long term Banquet clients, David and Gail Geddes, Warranboo Partnership, Holbrook, NSW, had really serious buying impact this year.
Banquet Hazelnut H265 (AI) (ET), by B Beleif A387 and at 955kg was tipped by several pundits to be the possible sale topper. While he did not achieve that, he was the first of the Geddes' four purchases and the sale's second-top price at $22,000.
Buying through their Elders Holbrook agent Tim Wright, they were back in the buyers' circle again for a Banquet Collective C251 son, Banquet Healy H077 at $15,000.
Banquet Humphrie H467 was their next purchase at $13,000. With figures topping at +110 for 600-day weight, +3.8 for EMA combined with positive IMF, this 17-month-old would have been very highly sought after in any past Banquet sale.
As it was, he was the only bull to make more than $10,000 after lot seven.
Warranboo rounded out their buying with another high-quality and average-breaking spring-dropper by Collective C351 at just $5000.
* Full report in Stock Journal, March 13, 2014 issue.
