All but one of the bulls sold at the sale at Culverden were sold to North Canterbury farmers. The day’s top price was $13,000.
Neighbours Mike and Jono Satterthwaite, of Palmside Station, paid $13,000 each for lots 2 and 3, as the sale got off to a strong start.
Bruce Johns, who founded the stud in 1971, said the average price of around $7500 was a solid result.
"We have always have good local support. We’ve got some loyal clientele in the Amuri Basin — farmers who keep coming back each year to buy our bulls."
"Today is the first big day in North Canterbury and I would say it’s consistent with sales we’ve had so far around the country.
"There’s been the odd exceptional price, but overall this is a reflection of where the industry is at at the moment and for commercial bulls it’s good prices."
While 26 Kaiwara Angus bulls were offered, the most attention was reserved for Kaiwara’s latest acquisition, a bull the Johns family recently bought at a sale in the Wairarapa for $24,000.
Mr Johns held sales in partnership with Beechwood stud owner Rob Burrows for many years, until Mr Burrows sold up and moved to Amberley.
Mr Johns and his wife, Audrey, moved to Kaiwara 35 years ago and the family now farms 1300ha.
While the couple "keep a beady eye on things" from the Kaiwara homestead, their sons, George and Douglas, are responsible for the day-to-day operations.
George Johns runs the 300 mostly Angus stud cows and 1000 sheep on 1000ha of hill country, while Douglas milks 1100 dairy cows on 300ha of flats.
