SEPTEMBER 2020 will hold fold memories for Clonlara Droughtmasters principals Gus and Jen McCormack who averaged a creditable $8678 - up $2973 on last year - at their annual sale on Wednesday.
It comes just a week after Ed and Carol McCormack were honoured with life membership of the Droughtmaster society.
Their 32nd on-property bull sale at Dilga, Glenmorgan, saw 47 Droughtmaster bulls sell to $23,000 and average $8553, while 12 composite bulls averaged $9167 with a top of $16,000 and a total clearance.
"Our solid sale result speaks for itself and again demonstrates the confidence shown in our breeding program by commercial producers who have been clients for many years," Gus McCormack said.
Relative newcomers to the Droughtmaster fraternity, Todd and Beyonce Cormack, Black Gully stud, Perola Park, Wallumbilla, bid the $23,000 top money for Clonlara 19230, a homozygous polled son of Medway Up To Date that weighed 846kg at 23 months of age.
"He (C 19230) ticked all the boxes, high morphology and really stood out - just a complete package," Mr Cormack said.
Mr Cormack said 19230 will be used over selected stud cows at Wallumbilla to breed bulls for their commercial Droughtmaster operation at Winton which is run in conjunction with his parents Stephen and Ruth.
Their family partnership is based south west of Winton on two adjoining holdings, Narcissus and Cambeela, which comprise 100,000 acres where they run a substantial pure Droughtmaster herd.
Regular supporters Rob Warby and family, Billinbah Pastoral Company, Billinbah, Glenmorgan, paid the $16,000 top Composite price for Clonlara Composite 19848, a 25-month-old youngster that was all meat with a clean poll head and beautiful skin.
They also paid $11,000 for another Composite bull that was a similar type for their composite bull breeding program.
The biggest order of the day was from repeat buyers Marcus and Shelley Curr, Coolreagh Pastoral Company, Yelvertoft, Mount Isa, who bought 14 bulls - Droughtmaster and Composites - for a $7786 average and paid up to $11,000 twice for a Droughtmaster and a Composite bull.
Mr Curr breeds bulls for his own use in his Brahman and Droughtmaster-cross herd with the intention to produce 'shiny, red flatback composites' that will suit any market.
"The Clonlara composites are good, versatile bulls which perform well in our country and their progeny gives us more market options," Mr Curr said.
Guest auctioneer Wayne York paid $14,000 for Clonlara 192, a horned son of Garthowen Xavier 2 (P) that he described as a "heavily-muscled youngster with heaps of volume and bone" and which would fit well in his Karragarra stud at Emerald.
- Selling agents: GDL and Elite Livestock Auctions.
