The six-year-old Mt Possession Angus stud sold bulls in the paddock until this year, when 20 were offered on the day and 19 sold, with an average of $11,200.
The Mid Canterbury high country station at Ashburton Gorge was battered by the May 31 storm, suffering bridge, house, road, track and fencing damage.
A big crowd of farmers attended the June 14 sale and three bulls sold on the bidr platform.
For the Whyte Farming Company – joint owners Donald and Leigh Whyte, and sheep and beef farm manager Ryan Hussey and his wife Sarah – the extraordinary price paid for Mt Possession Q53 was a huge tonic after the flood.
Hussey says Q53 has a great combination of performance figures, including two indexes in the top 1% for the breed, being the self-replacing index and the AngusPure index.
He is a home-bred bull sired by Mt Possession M13.
The Mt Possession stud was begun by the Whytes and the Husseys in 2015 with cattle from the Goldwyn dispersal in Te Anau and now has a herd of almost 100 cows and heifers to calve this year.
Meanwhile, Hawke’s Bay Angus breeder Max Tweedie, after paying the top price of the bull sale season so far, achieved a meritorious $48,000 at his own Hallmark stud sale at Tutira.
Hallmark had a full clearance of 33 bulls and made an average price of $9772.
The top price was paid by Cleardale Angus for Hallmark Stirling Q016, by Australian sire Millah Murrah which has not been widely used here.
Tweedie described Stirling as a fit, moderately sized bull, very mobile and with an excellent data sheet.
Guest vendor Matai Mara sold one bull at $8500.
Sudeley Angus, Irwell, Canterbury, had a top price of $33,000 paid by Tarangower Angus, sold 44 of 46 offered and averaged $8953.
Dandaleith Angus, Dannevirke, sold 24 of 30 offered, averaging $8000 and a top price of $20,000 paid by Merchiston Angus and Atahua Angus.
Brookwood Angus, Takapau, had a full clearance of 26 bulls averaging $7846 and a top price of $13,000 paid by Orere Angus.
Down the road at Elsthorpe, Elgin Angus sold 25 of 26, averaged $8200 and had a top of $15,000.
Twin Oaks Angus, Te Akau, made a top price of $30,000 paid by the Lane family at Whangara Angus.
The Twin Oaks average price was $9780 across 41 bulls sold out of 50 offered.
District neighbour Rolling Rock Angus cleared their 20 bulls offered, averaging $8187, including a top price of $17,000 paid by a commercial farmer.
Ngāputahi Angus at Pohangina had a top price of $18,500 paid by Toa Toa Farming, an average of $9373 and had a full clearance of 41 bulls.
Atahua Angus, Kiwitea, also had a full clearance of $33,000, an excellent average of $11,924 and a top price of $19,500.
Mt Mable Angus, Woodville, sold 42 out of 43 offered, averaged $10,809 and had a top price of $18,000 paid by Kauhoura Station.
Ranui Angus, near Whanganui, made a top price of $25,000, paid by Takapoto Angus, and cleared the catalogue of 35 bulls, averaging $8371.
Okawa Herefords, Ashburton, had a very good top of $33,000, paid by Haldon Station, and averaged $8250 across 46 sold out of 52.
Orari Gorge Herefords made $15,000, paid by Earnscleugh Station, sold 26 out of 30 and averaged $7950.
Riverlee Herefords, Kimbolton, sold 16 of 18 and averaged $6556, with a top of $12,000 paid by Rockend Herefords.
Capethorne Polled Herefords, Cheviot, sold six of 13 and averaged $6283, with a top of $11,200.
Maungahina Stud, Masterton, topped their Hereford offering with $16,000 paid by Iona Hilltop and Moana Herefords, sold 28 of 33 offered and averaged $7844. Their Speckle Park bulls topped at $22,500 paid by the Premier Cattle Company, when achieving a clearance of 15 and an average of $9566.
Rauriki Charolais, Waipukurau, sold 14 of 20 offered, averaged $6371 and topped out at $10,800, paid by Glencoe Farming.
The North Island Limousin Bull Trial offered 10 bulls and sold nine, averaging $5888 with a top of $7600 paid by Maniapoto Trust.
Pine Park Angus, Marton, sold all 31 bulls offered and averaged $7400 with a top price of $12,000.
Waitangi Angus, Bay of Islands, put up 55 bulls and sold 53 for an average of $8283 and a top price of $15,000 three times, by Whangara, Wairere and a commercial buyer.
Te Whanga Angus, Masterton, sold 19 of 23, averaged $8100 and made a top price of $12,000 twice.
Riverlands J Angus had a full clearance of 14, averaged $8095, achieving a top of $10,000 twice, and Grassmere Herefords offered 16 and sold 11, averaging $6545 with a top of $12,000 paid by Bechenham Hills.
Ipura South Devons at Te Kuiti achieved a top price of $10,000 twice, averaged $6050 and sold 16 out of 24.
Totaranui Angus, Pahiatua, had a full clearance of 38 bulls, a top price of $13,000 and an $8113 average.
Earnscleugh Station, Alexandra, sold 82 bulls in total, being Angus, Hereford and composite. The sale average was $6950 and the top price was an Angus for $16,000.
Marton Farming at Wakefield, Nelson, sold all 28 Angus bulls with an average of $7303 and a top of $13,000 paid by Argyle Station. Nine of 10 Herefords were sold for $7610 average and $14,000 paid by Matariki Herefords.
The same purchaser also paid $10,000 at Lake Station Herefords, St Arnaud, which sold 18 of 24 offered and averaged $7610.
