Hidden seedstock gems were unearthed during ACM's inaugural Sire Shootout and the pre-sale exposure has been credited with boosting the price tag on some bulls to record levels.
Of the 82 sires entered in the virtual showcase held in July many of them went on to break breed and sale benchmarks across the country.
A total of 66 bulls sold at public auctions and averaged $24,303 for a gross of $1.604 million while all of the private treaty sires were either sold or retained for in herd use.
ACM is pleased to announced the competition will return on July 6-8 in 2021 with GDL returning as major sponsors along with platinum sponsors Riverina.
GDL's Harvey Weyman-Jones said they saw it as a very useful opportunity to help buyers and sellers to promote and buy the best quality cattle.
"There were buyers who enjoyed looking at the three nights of displays of the bulls and it created interest with studs that they hadn't previously considered," he said.
"From the breeders point of view I know that many breeders received phone calls from potential buyers either that night or the days following the competitions.
"Also there were some breeders sitting back that didn't enter the competition for this first year because they weren't sure of the benefit of it and I'm certain that it will be a lot more strongly supported next year.
"It's impossible to say what they missed out on because it's all hypothetical but the general belief is this is a very cost effective way of marketing your top stud bulls and from there it will flow down to all the other bulls in your catalogue."
Buyers at sales across the country were quick to tell ACM reporters their interest in many bulls began when they followed the Sire Shootout competition.
The top price sire, Nicneil Sugar Daddy, had success in two virtual competitions - winning interbreed bull of The Land's 2020 Beef Battle and finishing top six in Sire Shootout - which was when he caught the attention of his new owners.
Vendors Neil and Nicole Gibbs wouldn't normally market their animals before the Rockhampton Brahman Week sale but gained overwhelming pre-sale inspections.
Ooline Brahmans, Goovigen, Cambil Brahmans, Proserpine, and Rosetta Grazing, Collinsville, were under no illusions that Sugar Daddy would be cheap and joined forces to take home the 25-month-old son of NCC Sugarwood.
Overall Sire Shootout winner KBV Penfold from Marty Rowlands and Stephen Lean, KBV Simmentals, Murphys Creek, was bound for Western Australia after his new owners saw him take out the competition and paid $24,000.
The platform also helped seal the deal on private sales too with the Limousin bull Morrisvale Quad Runner from James and Casey Morris, Narrikup, Western Australia secured for $10,000 not long after the event finished.
Russell McEwan of Narcona stud at Traveston entered Brahman bull Narcona Magnum 2091 while Will McEwan entered Narcona W Diplomat 2093.
Both bulls sold for $8000 each along with a line of herd bulls to Clayton Curley of Cloncurry after he noticed them in the competition.
"We generally try to sell all privately but decided to take them to Rocky but I wasn't happy with them so we were going to take them to February All Breeds," Mr McEwan said.
"Clayton saw them on the Sire Shootout and wanted to know what was going on. I said we had a heap of herd bulls too. He bought them all unseen, he knows our cattle."
How the Sire Shootout winners sold
Sire Shootout winner - KBV Penfold - $24,000
Sire Shootout runner up - Moongool Pilgrim - $52,500
Viewer's Choice winner - Minnamurra Plunderer P196 - $40,000 (Australasian Speckle Park bull record at the time)
Bos indicus class 1st place - Somerton Lazarus - $85,000
Bos indicus class 2nd place - Nicneil Sugar Daddy - $180,000
Bos indicus class 3rd place - Bryvonlea Thor - $34,000
Bos indicus class 4th place - Watasanta Off The Grid - $32,000
Bos indicus class 5th place - Trifecta Power Pack - $10,000
British class 1st place - Warragundi Pasadena - $10,000
British class 2nd place - K5X Pablo P55 - $9500
British class 3rd place - Myanga Justify P99 - $9000
British class 4th place - Bungulla Pac-Man - $7000
British class 5th place - Warragundi Phoenix - $5000
European class 3rd place - Charnelle President - $20,000
European class 4th place - Clay Gully Pentagon - $18,000
European class 5th place - Morrisvale Quad Runner - $10,000
Other Sire Shootout public sale bulls
Kandanga Valley Pantheon - $13,000
Kandanga Valley Power-On - $10,000
Booroomooka Puissance P191 - $16,000
Booroomooka President P22 - $40,000
Bungulla Perone - $10,000
Round-em-up Powerhouse Riddler - $32,000
King Creek Pascoe - $8500
Kandanga Valley Petey - $15,000
River Run Phantom - $12,000
King Creek Pan - $6000
Warragundi Precedence - $7000
Warragundi Pierro - $4000
Watasanta Oh My Goodness - $64,000
Burenda High Quality Q919 - $12,000
Burenda Q41 - $9000
Burenda Paraffin P350 - $12,000
Burenda Kenson P1049 - $11,000
Cree Leroy Q076 - $26,000
Garthowen Avalanche 3 - $30,000
Smithy's Brian - $5000
Coota Park Blue-E P326 - $15,500
Elite Powerplay - $16,000
ANC Photogenic - $17,000
ANC Paradigm - $20,000
ANC Patch - $10,000
ANC Panther - $9000
Moongool Poll Phoenix - $35,000
Bundy Ironstone - $70,000
Raff Jovial P236 - $12,000
Minlacowie Xander 9208 - $32,000
Trifecta Pedro - $18,000
Glenlands J Ambassador - $28,000
Glenlands D Ascot - Withdrawn
Viva Victor 1592 - $24,000
Viva Vallis - $52,500
JRL Sir Frederick Manso - $26,000
JRL Jeronimo - $80,000
Toy Boy Duncan - $13,000
Gigoomgan Windsor - Withdrawn
Samari Plains Prince Harry - $19,000
Samari Plains Regan - $22,000
Muan A Vegas 6232 - $40,000
Muan Veivers 6437 - $11,000
NK Hulk 1709 - $20,000
NK Cognac 1817 - $27,000
The Grove P0419 - $13,000
The Grove Emissary P0579 - $22,000
Ramsey Creek Julian J12 - $15,000
NK 1770 Jokar - $8500
NK 1764 Appollo - $8500
Wildest Dreams Sheriff - Withdrawn
Heitiki Octagonal - $11,500
Heitiki Orion - $12,000
Heitiki Otto - Withdrawn
Narcona Magnum 2091 - $8000
Narcona W Diplomat 2093 - $8000
Crinum Quintrex - $18,000
Other Sire Shootout private sale bulls
Kandanga Valley Panama Pete - Retained
Amboss Francess - Sold commercially
Oasis Rooster
Nungar Plain J-10-A Playboy - $8000
Nungar Plain CJ34 Percy - $6000
Nungar Plain B6 Nitro - For sale
Munda Django
Devannah Pilliga P103 - Sold privately
Devannah Preston P99 - Sold privately