A 10-month-old Charolais female with an "unlimited earning potential" as a future donor cow soared to a $26,500 high price during the Glen Lea Beef Dawn of the Decade sale online on Thursday.
Only 21 successful buyers were needed for the Northern NSW-based stud, along with a small offering from Clamview Charolais at Fernleigh, to achieve a near full clearance.
A total of 70 heifers averaged $4542, two cows averaged $4250, two bull calves averaged $4250, 44 cows and calves averaged $5897, nine embryos averaged $1594, seven flush lots averaged $6071 for a $12,000 high and 26 semen packages averaged $83.
There were 14 lots unsold, the majority semen packages.
It was just four lots into the AuctionsPlus sale when Glenlea Isabella 14 made the high price thanks to the bidding of Daniel and Ashlea Humphrey, Ashdan Charolais, Johns River.
The homozygous polled daughter of Glenlea Just Red out of Glenlea Isabella 2 had a moderate birthweight estimated breeding value with top 10 per cent growth traits, carcase weight, fat and intramuscular fat.
Glenlea was so impressed by the female they believed "one could build an entire stud around her".
That's exactly the role her new owners intend for her too as they look to grow their stud which currently sits at around 15 elite females including a number of Glenlea genetics that have proven doability on the coast.
Mr Humphrey said her growth, structure and breed leading EBVs were hard to fault and they would flush her as a heifer with the confidence of her family history.
"We have got a calf on the ground by her father at home and we have seen her dam," he said.
"We hadn't got a chance to see her but with her background and history of donor cows on her side, we know what her sire can produce being a red factor and breed leading EBVs.
"We just wanted the best out there; the leading genetics Glenlea had to offer.
"We have got high aspirations for our stud and what direction we are going to take it and we've got to start with the best."
Glenlea stud principal Roderick Binny will show the heifer at Beef 21 in Rockhampton, but the Humphreys will have to tune in remotely as Ashlea is due to give birth.
The Humphreys also paid $6500 for the heifer Glenlea Charol 75 and $11,000 for Orara Waterfall Glenlea Charol 6 and $10,000 Glenlea Josie 3, both cow and calf units.
Just as impressive was the $12,000 paid for the mother of the top price heifer, Glenlea Isabella 2.
The proven elite third generation donor was secured by Wildes Pastoral, Aberdeen, who also paid $7500 for the eight-month-old heifer, Glenlea Janet 126.
Chris Hall, Coffs Harbour, secured 19 lots from the sale while Grant Taylor at Coolangatta took home 16 lots.
Other animals were bound for Queensland, parts of NSW, South Australia and Victoria.
The sale was conducted by Elders.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
