The stud, which is near Kaikoura, sold Lot 45, Matariki Qualifier Q361, to Gisborne’s Wilencote Polled Herefords and Mokairau Herefords.
This was on the back of a full clearance of 63 bulls bred by the Murray family for an impressive average price of $14,921.
The $80,000 bid topped the existing record of $71,000 set in an auction by Monymusk Herefords stud’s Monymusk Gallant 11089 at Te Anau in 2013.
Following close behind this was a $75,000 bull sold by Stern Angus in South Canterbury, while a ring-leader made $66,000 for Mt Possession Angus stud and a Hemingford Sheep and Cattle Genetics bull $50,000.
Further south, a Fossil Creek Angus bull sold for $71,000 at North Otago and an Umbrella Range Angus bull for $50,000 in Northern Southland.
That was shaded last week by a national on-farm record of $156,000 for Angus bull, U909, by Cricklewood Angus in Hawke’s Bay.
Other Canterbury studs had five-figure highlight sales, reflecting good breeding, farmer confidence and favourable beef markets.
Matariki breeder Jack Murray said the writing was probably on the wall Matariki Qualifier would be in demand, as it had attracted strong interest in the weeks leading up to the farm sale.
"He was just a beautifully put together bull and the heaviest bull in the sale. We used him as a yearling for the heifers and he was beautifully structured with plenty of meat on him and a terrific walker and strong carcass attribute. He’s just a big and athletic bull."
The Murray family was delighted to have set a new record, he said.
"It’s pretty cool to see the whole sale tick along so well too to be fair. It was awesome to get the top price, but to be so well supported by commercial buyers, and a number of other stud bulls did well so it was good to be supported by other stud breeders as well."
Lot 52 making $40,000 was, like Lot 45, a son of Matariki Navigator — the dominant sire in the sale, with 23 sons that averaged more than $19,000, including another bull that sold for $28,000.
Only three bulls in the sale were not sired by Matariki bulls.
"It was a really even line of bulls. We had a strong sale last year in the year that Herefords struggled. I think there has just been a swing back to Herefords in crossing bulls other than Angus, Their sales have been going well too with the beef thing, but I think people are seeing the merit of a bit of hybrid vigour in the crossbred cows."
Some of the bull sale earnings have gone to buying a bull in South Australia, with semen being collected to be transported across. The family also bought a "good carcassed" pure horned bull from Southland which will be bred over progressive generations to remove its horns from progeny.
Another good sale next year could be in the offing, with about one-third of 145 first-calving heifers from the Navigator sire.
Mt Possession Angus stud breeders Donald and Leigh Whyte and Ryan and Sarah Hussey are in high spirits after their rising 2-year-old bull made $66,000.
Lot 12, U085, attracted the highest bid from Rockley Angus in Balfour and Pikoburn Angus at Tuatapere.
All 22 bulls sold in the catalogue for a $13,750 average at the new sale ring, down the road from the wool shed at Ashburton Lakes.
This is Mt Possession’s best result since 2021 when they sold a bull for $88,000.
Mr Hussey said he was happy with the auction result, as much for the full clearance as the top sale which was the "icing on the cake".
"He was quite a stand-out bull and a bit of a star, really. I did say to the auctioneer beforehand that he really needed [a good bid] or he’s better off staying at home. I thought he would have reached that [price] anyway, which he did."
The sire of U085 came from Mt Possession Resource R06.
In the ring were six R06 sons, which averaged $23,000 across them and they have more progeny coming from the bull next year.
The result was a turnaround from last year.
"Last year there wasn’t a lot of confidence and cash in the industry," Mr Hussey said. "This year the bulls were in slightly better condition just with having something to eat rather than coming through a blimming drought.
"I mean I was pretty happy with the condition we got the bulls up to last year, but the ones this year were just showing themselves off a little bit."
He said they were "trucking along" nicely for a stud only in its fifth bull sale, and they were in it for the long game.
At one stage it was touch and go whether the sale would proceed, with 450mm of snow on the ground and access having to be cleared to the cattle yards and sale ring.
Among other Canterbury highlights, Stern’s top price of $75,000 was backed by 93 of 102 bulls sold for a $12,478 average.
Culverden’s Hemingford Sheep and Cattle Genetics sold Lot 1 for $50,000 after all 64 bulls sold for an average price of $12,125.
A similar average of $12,870 was achieved by Silverstream Charolais, which sold all 54 of the bulls it presented, which included a top price of $19,000 twice for Lot 3 and Lot 12.
Beechwood & Richon Herefords’ top selling 2-year-old was Lot 9 to Locharburn for $30,000, amid selling all 28 bulls for a $10,000 average.
Grassmere Hereford Stud in Cheviot sold a $20,000 bull to Hains amid 12 bulls sold from a 14-strong catalogue for an $8958 average.
Meadowslea Angus from Fairlie sold a stud bull for $36,000 to Delmont Angus and totalled 70 out of 76 bulls sold for an $8500 average.
Woodbank Angus sold 65 of 70 bulls, averaging $11,532 with several bulls selling for $30,000. Grampians Angus sold a $28,000 bull with a $12,911 average from 68 of 70 bulls offered.
Te Mania Angus had a top price of $30,000 after selling 108 of 116 bulls offered for an average $11,630.
Sudeley Angus from Irwell sold 63 of 66 bulls, for $11,067 average and a top price of $21,000 for lot 14 to Moanaroa, with lot 24 also selling for $21,000 to Kenhardt and another bull making $20,000.
South Canterbury’s Opawa Simmentals secured a top price of $22,000, paid by Potawa Simmentals, Piopio, and sold 25 of 27 bulls, averaging $9930.
Another South Canterbury stud, Orari Gorge Herefords, sold Lot 1 for $21,000 to Ashburton’s Okawa Herefords and averaged $8480 after selling 26 of 27 bulls, while Kakahu Angus’ top price was $30,000.
In turn, Okawa Herefords had an $18,000 top price with a $8007 average for its 47 of 52 sold.
Riverlands J Angus sold a $17,500 bull in a full clearance of 20 bulls for a $9600 average, while a Burtegrill South Devon bull made $17,000.
