More than 120 people packed the benches for Limehills Herefords 47th annual sale last month.
At the sale, 51 of 53 rising 2-year-old bulls sold for an average price of $14,390, including a top price of $50,000 for Limehills Nevis 240504.
The sale set a new stud record, eclipsing the previous highest price of $42,000 for bull Limehills Blast in 2022.
The stud owners follow tradition in the sale ring every year, Gray Pannett opens the sale with a cheeky joke and Robyn Pannett makes the closing speech.
In her closing speech, Mrs Pannett said she was humbled by the sale result.
Mr Pannett said he was rapt with the amazing result.
"It is a real endorsement for what we are trying to do."
He had been selling bulls to three generations of some families at the auction, he said.
The focus at the stud would continue to be breeding bulls able to perform for hill country commercial farmers, rather than targeting selling bulls for big prices to studs, Mr Pannett said.
The $50,000 bull is a son of sire Matariki Nautical and cow Limehills Leonora 180006, a daughter of celebrated sire Limehills Streaker.
The buyers of the $50,000 bull were Murray and Fiona Curtis, of Riverlee Herefords and Angus stud in Rangiwahia, Mānawatu.
Mr Curtis said there was a lot to like about the bull.
"He’s got the cosmetics right and he’s got meat, thickness and bone and he walks well."
The bull had eye appeal and genetic data to match.
"We were after a son of Nautical."
They bought just the one bull at Limehills.
As the bull was their first pick, they kept bidding to win him.
"I didn’t want to go that high, but oh well," Mr Curtis laughed.
"These are hillcountry bulls and Gray’s a top cattleman, he knows his stuff and it shows in his bulls."
The bull sale at Riverlee stud was held earlier than Limehills, Mrs Curtis said.
"We had a big turnout."
Average prices at Riverlee were up on recent years, Mrs Curtis said.
Riverlee sale bulls featuring Limehills genetics were the best sellers, she said.
"So you come back."
Another Pannett family sale tradition had sisters Evie and Madison each selecting a bull before bidding starts.
The sisters were given a small cut of the sale price of their respective bulls from their parents.
"It is a bit of fun. I’ve done it my whole life," Evie said.
This year, Madison selected bull Sandor 240494, which sold for $20,000 and Evie chose bull Limehills Nevis 240472, which sold for $40,000.
Evie said the $40,000 price tag was the most one of her bulls had fetched in the competition.
"We never get the big one," Evie said.
Mr Pannett said his daughters use different methods to select their bulls. Madison had a technical approach and Evie listens to conversations to find which bull had the most interest.
As part of her due diligence before the sale, Madison entered the bulls’ genetic data in an artificial intelligence chatbot and asked it to select a winner.
She did not go for the bull the technology selected, Limehills Result 240388, which went on to sell for $7000.
Another sale tradition was getting a community group to cater the sale in the shearing shed.
The Pannett family paid a donation to the group.
Millers Flat School Parent Teachers Association members has done the catering for the past several years.
Another sale tradition was offering Jimmy’s Pies, produced nearby in Roxburgh, which was arranged by the Pannett family.
People at the sale included Matariki Herefords owner Jimmy Murray, of Kaikoura, whose stud’s genetics feature in the Limehills breeding programme.
Mr Murray was always on the lookout for a certain type of bull.
"If you get the right type and you get the numbers to go with it, then you’re smoking."
PGG Wrightson genetics rep Lisa Nolan said conditions leading up to the bull sale season had been favourable and vendors had prepared and displayed bulls well.
"We have been lucky with real good weather."
PGG Wrightson national genetics manager Callum McDonald said people were excited about the beef sector and the positivity was showing at bull sales.
Generally, average prices were up between $2000 and $3000.
"Good bulls are making good money."
PGG Wrightson auctioneer Ben McKerchar said the bull sale season was "off to a bloody good start".
"There is a good vibe around the sales and it is reflective in the results."
Retired truck driver Forbes Knight, 95, attended the sale.
Mr Knight had been at nearly all of the 47 bull sales at Limehills.
He missed one sale years ago, due to a hospital stay.
Mr Knight was inducted to the New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2024 for his career including carting cattle in Teviot Valley.
The latest Limehills bull sale had produced the strongest demand he could recall in the history of the sale.
"It is the highest average price I’ve seen."
