The annual bull sales held in CHB and around the region during a few, short weeks in June are both an exciting and important time for stud owners and cattle farmers.
The stakes are high. The sales can potentially shape the future fortunes of the parties involved, from the stud owners hoping to secure the best price for their prized bulls, to the commercial operators looking to improve the genetics of their herd.
The timing of the sales in CHB and the rest of region are dictated by the timing of the National Beef Expo in Feilding, which this year is being held from May 12-16.
Simmentals, Charolaise and Herefords are also sold at the numerous on-farm auctions or by private treaty during the month. But the majority of auctions are for 2-year-old Angus bulls - which has tended to be the dominant breed in CHB in recent years.
Hawke's Bay Angus Association represents 10 studs stretching from Hastings down towards Dannevirke. Chairman Charles Pattison, owner of the 973-hectare Waiwhero Stud in CHB, said the annual sales came with their own unique set of pressures.