Farmers Weekly, by Hugh Stringleman 30th June 2021

East Coast Angus stud Kaharau set what is believed to be a new on-farm auction record price for a bull when Kaharau Q327 sold for $106,000.

He was bought by fellow Angus breeders, Elgin Angus of Central Hawke’s Bay and Tapiri Angus of Wairarapa.

Q327 was described in the catalogue as a well put together bull, with a beautiful temperament, standing on good feet, with presence and style. 

“Thick as a brick and deep, with a great backend, a good bodied carcase, head, jaw and bone – hard to fault,” they said.

The two-year-old bull was sired by Kaharau Atlantic 454 out of a Matauri Reality cow.

The Williams family at Kaharau offered 63 bulls and sold all, with an average of $15,600.

The sale tally was just under $1 million, also believed to be a record for a New Zealand farm bull sale.

Stud principal Penny Hoogerbrug says a further 10 Kaharau bulls were sold to other Angus studs, including $72,000 paid by Oregon Angus, $52,000 by Turiroa Angus and  $29,000 and $40,000 paid by Blackridge Angus.

Penny’s father and Kaharau founder, the late Colin Williams, made headlines in 1992 when he paid $155,000 for Atahua Legacy at the national bull sales in Palmerston North.

Another daughter, Susie, and her husband Charles Dowding held a final bull sale for Rangatira this year at Muriwai, near Gisborne.

Rangatira formerly held the on-farm sale record price, with $100,000 paid for bull 13-38 in 2015 until Turiroa 18P224 made $104,000 for the Powdrell family last year.

Rangatira sold 56 out of 60 offered and had a top price of $75,000 paid by Quailburn Downs Angus and Rolling Rick Angus, followed by a sale at $35,000 and one at $32,500. 

The average for the final sale was $9878 and total proceeds were over $550,000.

A similar gross was made at one of the other big East Coast Angus sales, when Turihaua offered 67 and sold 63 for an average of $9285.

Top of the Turihaua sale was $16,000, made five times.

Last year’s record-holder Turiroa Angus sold 43 of 47 bulls offered and this year made a top price of $60,000, followed by $52,000 and $47,500.

Understandably its average was an impressive $14,650 and the gross was over $630,000.

Tangihau Angus had a similar average of $14,242 across the 31 bulls sold, with a top of $45,000 for Lot 1 Tangihau Q336, paid by Shian Angus, plus a $28,000 and two at $20,000.

Tangihau also travelled to Pleasant Point in South Canterbury to bid the highest price for Stern Angus, paying $64,000 for Stern 19061, sired by Te Mania Powerhouse.

Stern’s average was $11,625 across 76 sold out of 80 offered.

In the same district, the Giddings family at Meadowslea Angus in Fairlie offered 75 bulls and sold 70, with an average of $9300 and a highest price of $32,000 paid by Glen R Angus.

Glanworth Angus, Pahiatua, sold 27 out of 32, with a top of $16,000 and an $8100 average.

Aywon Angus, in the same sale, offered 18 and sold 14, averaging $5585 and a top of $9000.

Kenhardt Angus, Nuhaka, had a full clearance of 38 bulls, averaged $9131 and had a top of $16,000 paid by Waiterenui Angus.

Orere Angus, Gisborne, had a clearance of 12 bulls, averaged $11,780 and a top of $20,000 paid by Ratanui Angus.

Ratanui’s own sale at Matawhero resulted in a full clearance of 17, an average of $9812 and a top of $20,000 paid by Dandaloo Angus.

Waimata Angus, inland from Gisborne, offered 11 and sold 8, averaged $8810 and made a top price of $11,000 twice.

Cricklewood Angus at Wairoa sold four bulls at the creditable $11,000 average price.

And Tawa Hills Angus at Motu offered four and sold three, with an average $7166.