Several highly respected octogenarians referred to the yarding of 1,264 cattle at the fourth annual Clermont Beef Expo – held on Wednesday 26th October, at the Clermont Showgrounds – as "the best quality line up of cattle they’d ever seen".
The Isaac Regional Council Grand Champion Exhibit of the Beef Expo was awarded to a pen of ten Simmental-cross bullocks exhibited by Frank and Cathie Finger of Hillview, Clermont.
The pen sold at auction for 323c/kg to weigh 740kg and return $2,390/head. The Fingers also took home the NAB Agribusiness Champion Beast and Sally Taylor Memorial Trophy for their grand champion bullocks.
Hugh and Sherri Philp of Wyena won the ANZ Agribusiness Champion Pen of Store Cattle with a pen of Droughtmaster feeder steers.
Expo coordinator John Wilkinson, Hoch & Wilkinson Livestock & Property, Clermont said a highlight of the sale was the generous charitable donations by two of the cattle exhibitors.
“Bernard and Cynthia Anderson of Narrien donated the entire proceeds ($32,210) of their prize winning pen of 13 bullocks, to the RFDS. Ted and Jenny Murphy of Tayglen, Dysart donated $4,500 to the RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter service. All told $43,710 was raised for various charities on the day.”
The York family, Billa Park Simmental Stud also achieved great success during the second Billa Park Simmental Bull Sale alongside their invited vendor, Lucrana Simmentals.
All 16 bulls sold with a top price of $11,000 reached while the sale averaged a sterling $7950 per head.
The top price bull Lucrana Kenworth (P) (ET) from vendors Andrew Moore and Karen Britton, Lucrana Simmentals, Texas was purchased by Jack Burnett, Burnett Enterprises, Clermont.
Sale agent Jake Passfield, Hoch & Wilkinson, Clermont said the vendors were “ecstatic” with the result.
“Next year Billa Park will be returning with 30 bulls, in light of the growing success they’ve had with the sale.”
Clermont Agencies’ Julie Smith said the expo trade display was bigger then ever with 48 exhibitors on-site showcasing a vast range of products and services.
“The atmosphere was great and everybody said it was a lovely day.” She said guest speaker Tom O’Toole’s energetic motivational talk kept the attentive crowd entertained. “Everybody walked away from his presentation having gotten something out it.”
