By Melissa Blewitt

Rockingham Santa Gertrudis Stud has set a new benchmark with a $75,000 sale topper at their 17th annual on property sale.
The Hague family (Tara Station, Condobolin) sold 40 bulls from 41 offered at the Rockingham selling complex, to a gross of $955,450 and average of $15,525, on Thursday, 2 October. This was an increase of $4,575 on last year’s figure.
A partnership between central west Queensland studs Swan Hill Cattle Company and Forest Park Santas, combined to secure the top sire of the sale at Lot 20 – Rockingham User (P), the 23 month old son of Strathmore Quartz Q550 (P) out of Rockingham R61.
He weighed 804kg, scanned 11 millimetres (mm) and 19mm over the rib and rump, recorded a 135 square centimetre eye muscle area, 6.9 per cent intramuscular fat and achieved an average daily gain of 1.11 kilograms.
The second top of $50,000 was paid by Sylvia Kirkby, Warenda Stud for Lot 24, Rockingham Ulysses (P), the son of Waco Sonny S136 (P).
Invited vendor, Denngal sold seven bulls from eight offered, to ab average of $7,714. Denngal bulls were bred by the father and son team of Dennis and Greg Moxey from Forbes.
Santa Gertrudis stud masters dominated the buying, with stock destined for a wide spread of highly regarded seedstock operations across three states.
Andrew and Amanda Walker, Strathmore Santa Gertrudis Stud, Blackall, Queensland purchased – Lot 2 for $30,000; Lot 14 for $17,000; Lot 21 for $10,000 and Lot 39 for $18,000.
Lot 4 was sold to Thomas Fogden, Boulview Nangaringa, Loxton, South Australia for $22,000.
Max and Roz Baldwin, Talgai Santa Gertrudis and Prime Hay Suppliers, Nindooinbah, Queensland purchased Lot 19 for $16,000.
Lot 22 went for $16,000 to Craig Hindle, Bullamakinka stud, Stoneleigh (Queensland).
Ian and Felicity Shaw, Glen Leigh Santa Gertrudis (Deepwater, NSW) successfully bid on Lot 8 ($18,000) and Lot 15 ($16,000).
Tom and Anna Dunlop (Munnabah Santa Gertrudis, Coolah, NSW) purchased Lot 18 for $16,000.
Lot 16 was sold for $6,000 to Ben and Amanda Adams (Dangarfield Cattle Co. – Santa Gertrudis Breeders, Taroom, Queensland).
Brett Hatton (Santahat stud, Monto, Queensland paid $28,000 for Lot 1 (via AuctionsPlus).
Volume buyers were David Russell (Budda Station Pastoral Co, Tilpa, NSW), who secured five head at a $14,000 average; and Australian Green Properties (Cobar, NSW) who purchased four head at a $7,000 average.
All 153 Santa Gertrudis heifers sold for an average of $1,833 per head. The top pen of station mated heifers sold to $1,960.
“As it starts to sink in what unfolded yesterday at our 17th bull sale all I can say is Thank you to all that supported us with a $15,475 average over the 42 Rockingham Bulls with a top of $75k of which 16 Bulls went back into studs across three states,” a post on the Rockingham Santas Facebook Page read.
“To the fellow Santa breeders that made the effort to travel so far to support us thank you again and we wish you the very best with your purchases.”
Nutrien Russell conducted the sale, which was also live on AuctionsPlus.