Reflecting on a record 2022 season

Angus Bull Week auction highlights last year included this fellow from Whangara Angus who attracted a bidding war before the hammer went down at $92,000 — Tawa Hills Angus of Motu its new owners. Pictured with him are (from left) Chris Richardson, Andrew Cribb, Paige and Blair Crawshaw (Tawa Hills) and Tom Sanson.

Angus Bull Week contributed more than $4.2 million to the regional economy last year in what was a record sales season for all breeds.

With the other rising two-year-old bull sales added to Bull Week’s Angus total, the overall figure was $5.6m.

It surpassed the previous record of $5.5m last year in sales across the Angus, Hereford and Simmental studs in Gisborne, on the East Coast and in Wairoa.

The region’s 11 Angus studs — Whangara, Turihaua, Kaharau, Orere, Waimata, Tawa Hills, Tangihau, Cricklewood, Kenhardt, Turiroa and Ratanui — collectively sold over 370 young bulls at auction for a total of $4.24m.

Hereford studs Mokairau, Wilencote and Hain Herefords sold close to 80 bulls for more than $457,000.

Simmental studs Kerrah and Gold Creek sold just over 100 bulls for $965,000.

Among the highlights of the 2022 season was a $92,000 sale at Whangara Angus.

The bull was bought by Tawa Hills Angus at Motu and was only $500 less than the top-priced Angus in New Zealand that season.

Turihaua Angus recorded its highest price in the long history of the stud — $72,000.

A number of other Angus studs also had bulls sell from $20,000 up to $72,000.

For the fourth year in a row the Johnsons from Orere Angus at Rere won the Wonder Cup for the bull judged best in the Angus Combined Sale on the Monday afternoon at Matawhero.

Auctioneer Neville Clark, who steered much of the selling action during Bull Week, described Bull Week and the wider R2 sales season in the region as a “solid bull-selling season . . . with good quality bulls throughout”.

“The top bulls were certainly appreciated by price but the overall result was also a reflection of where the beef schedule is at, and the high prices being paid for beef,” Neville said at the time.

“Protein is still very much in demand. In fact, there’s a worldwide shortage. That was also reflected in the success of our sales.”

PGG Wrighton genetics representative Emma Pollitt said the strong beef schedule and demand for the product provided opportunity for breeders to reinvest in their programmes.

“We saw that come through in the strength and averages throughout the bull sales here.”

Neville said the consistency of the stock drafted in each of the sales stood out for him.

“The back end of the line-ups showed the strength of our breeding industry and particularly the strength of the region’s cow herds across all breeds.”

Emma said the bulls presented were a real credit to their vendors and consistently displayed the elements that kept people coming back to the Coast to source their seedstock.

Once again the sales were well supported by potential buyers and others.

“That’s the other thing people should note,” Neville said.

“Bull Week sales this week drew a lot of visitors who came here to not only enjoy our cattle but our people, too.”

Emma summed it up when she said: “Let’s do it all again next year.”