The $65,000 bid for rising 2-year-old bull Earnscleugh Gunsmoke 244700 set a stud record.
Nearly 130 bulls — 57 Angus, 40 Composite and 31 Hereford — were offered at the Earnscleugh Station High Country Genetics 41st annual sale near Alexandra this month.
Earnscleugh Gunsmoke was billed as "massively thick and powerful with consistently good data".
Stud co-owner Duncan Campbell said some bulls have got the X-factor.
"He’s got it."
Earnscleugh Gunsmoke fetched the highest price for a bull at an auction in Otago and Southland this season and for a Hereford bull in New Zealand, at the time of printing.
"It was great to see them all getting a home — the clearance was amazing."
The $65,000 final bid for Earnscleugh Gunsmoke more than doubled the previous stud record of $28,000 for a Hereford and surpassed the $48,000 stud record for any breed, previously held by an Angus bull.
Mr Campbell offered Earnscleugh Gunsmoke for sale because other stud cattle shared similar genetics.
"We have quite a bit of that blood on the station."
As a yearling, Earnscleugh Gunsmoke had been put over adult cows on the station.
About 120 people registered to bid at the sale.
Earnscleugh Gunsmoke is the progeny of sire Earnscleugh Gunslinger 211654 and dam Earnscleugh Blossum 166717.
The dam had a record of producing great progeny.
"We had a stud bull out of her two years ago and we kept one the next year and then she had this one [Earnscleugh Gunsmoke] . . . she’s got another calf next year so she’s breeding the house down."
Earnscleugh Gunsmoke was bought by Chris and Jennifer Chesterman, of Koanui Polled Herefords, near Havelock North, in Hawke’s Bay.
Mr Chesterman said Earnscleugh Gunsmoke was an exceptionally good bull with very sound length, phenotype and performance data.
"They are not easy to find and we have commercial clients who want the performance and carcass that he exhibits . . . I believe Gunsmoke will be an excellent bull for the cross-breeding programme."
"I was impressed with what I saw."
Koanui Polled Herefords sold all 63 bulls offered at its annual auction, for an average price of $15,300 on May 21.
The sale result showed the high level of confidence in the beef industry.
"It allows us to reinvest and breed animals to enhance the performance and viability of our commercial breeders," Mr Chesterman said.
The Chestermans also paid $25,000 for another Hereford bull, Earnscleugh Thyme 244730.
At Earnscleugh Station, all 57 Angus bulls sold for an average price of $14,491, including two selling for the top price of $23,000 each for bull Earnscleugh McDonald 244432 to buyer West Wānaka Station and bull Earnscleugh Turbine 244501 to Blair and Sally Robertson.
All but one of the 31 Hereford bulls sold for an average price of $13,733, including the $65,000 for bull Earnscleugh Gunsmoke 244700.
PGG Wrightson national genetics manager Callum McDonald bidded for Gunsmoke Earnscleugh on behalf of the Chestermans.
The beef industry was humming, Mr McDonald said.
Average prices and clearance rates were up on past bull sale seasons in the South.
"It is nice to see guys buying those top bulls and investing in their genetics. These bulls will be producing the calves they’ll be selling in two years’ time, so it all bodes well."
