"I hate sale day. I’m as nervous as hell — it’s my nature. I get all wound up like a corkscrew."
An annual bull sale had been held on his stud, Nethertown Angus, on State Highway 87 just north of Middlemarch, for more than 20 years.
The sale was always on the Tuesday after Queen’s Birthday weekend.
The nerves were due to reasons beyond his control, such as the number of buyers who would attend.
He sold most of his 600ha sheep and beef farm Nethertown about two years ago because his family showed no interest in taking over and it was becoming harder to chase down sheep.
He retained about 140ha to continue his stud.
"I’m happy where I’m at."
His uncle operated the stud until its registration lapsed in the 1940s.
His late father, Andrew, registered the stud again in the 1960s and continued as studmaster until he passed away, aged 56.
"Myself and my two brothers carried it on from 1980."
His brothers now had their own farms and he runs the stud by himself.
The best part of running a stud was being able to breed good stock and attract buyers.
A key to breeding good bulls was owning good breeding cows.
"Without a good cow, you won’t get to the top."
About five years ago, he invited the Gibson family, of Middlemarch stud Foulden Hill Genetics, to sell its bulls — a mix of Hereford and Santa Gertrudis — at the sale.
A mob of 42 bulls across the three breeds would be on offer next week.
