Despite the fact Dungog based Sugarloaf Angus was suddenly part of the Hunter's seven day lockdown their annual sale went ahead achieving a top price of $42,000 and an average of $13,525 for their Angus sires.
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It wasn't the ideal conditions Sugarloaf's principal Jim Tickle and his agents were expecting for the 2021 sale but the when the NSW government made the call on Thursday morning to lockdown most of the Hunter, with the exception of the Upper Hunter Shire, for seven days a quick decision had to be made for the sale to go ahead on Saturday.
Mr Tickle said the lockdown had an impact probably reducing the average price of the 53 lots sold.
The lockdown meant a number of buyers opted to use the online interface with many attending the sale virtually using AuctionPlus.
But despite the lockdown and the logistics involved in running the sale there was a total clearance of the 48 Angus bulls offered and the five Black Simmentals.
The top bull was Lot 9 Sugarloaf Timeless Q139 who sold for $42,000. weighing in at 1008k the 24 months-old was described by Mr Tickle as being another stud sire prospect - this bloke has it all, length, unbelievable depth & thickness along with great disposition & perfect structure.
SL Timeless was bought by Betrola Pty Ltd at Coolah. The bull was selected by manager Trevor Nash on the stud's open day then purchased on Auctions Plus on sale day as Mr Nash was outside the lockdown area.
He was sired by WMR Timeless 458 from Sugarloaf Henrietta K127. His credentials showed impressive meat eating qualities.
Second top priced bull was another son of WMR Timeless 458 - Sugarloaf Timeless Q98 who sold for $28,000 to Mackas Pastoral owned by former Port Stephens mayor Bruce MacKenzie. Mr Mackenzie and his family run 3500 commercial breeders along with 150 stud cows and 140 donor cows across 6000 hectares in the lower Hunter and Gloucester districts.
Buyers paid $26,000 twice for Lot 6 going to Singleton based Bowers Cattle & Ag for Sugarloaf Fail Safe a son of GAR Fail Safe and Lot 11 Sugarloaf Franklin Q135 by the homebred sire Sugarloaf Franklin H9. He was bought by Bee Lee Pastoral at Rockhampton Qld .
The top price yearling at $18,000 was lot 41 Sugarloaf Fail Safe R44 going to Tara in Qld. Black Simmental sires sold to a top of $12,000 for Sugarloaf Q013 by TNT Tanker U263.
Commercial weaner heifers 9 to 11 months averaged $3,705 & topped at $4,000. Preg tested heifers averaged $4,300 topping at $4,600.
Auctioneer was Paul Dooley, agents Bowe and Lidbury and Dillon & Sons.