Work of Art fetches the top price at BLING sale

Held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds on Friday, vendors Brad and Vicki Hanson of Bullakeana Brangus, Woolthorpe, Theodore, sold their heifer, Bullakeana Work of Art, for $32,500 to the Fernie family of Boombah Cattle Co, Dingo.

The polled black heifer was sired by Palgrove Primemover P1135 out of Bullakeana Miss Jamimma.

It was one of two polled heifers put up for auction by the Hanson family - the other being 18-month-old Bullakeana White Gold, which sold for $23,000 to Brad Pugh, Springview Station, Charters Towers.

The sale's 14 lots sold for a total of $208,000 for an average of $14,857 with 100 per cent clearance.

Mr Hanson said he was extremely happy as they sold at the Bling sale last year, but did much better this year.

He said high quality Brangus females were very hard to source so the BLING sale offered buyers the opportunity of high quality in limited numbers.

"They really are the top end of the herd," he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Fernie family, Bryce Fernie said the top-priced heifer would be used to breed bulls for their commercial herd.

Mr Fernie said they were keen to buy her as she was a well-rounded heifer.

"There wasn't much wrong with her, she was just a good doing, feminine female," he said.

Mr Fernie said they would leave her until the end of the year and then choose a mate for her.

The Fernie family run a commercial herd of between 3000 and 3500 with approximately 1200 breeders.

Mr Fernie said they feed and finish their own grass-fed bullocks and sell direct to the Teys meatworks in Rockhampton.

Mr Hanson said the BLING sale was a promotional event for the breed.

"Everyone is at Beef, the whole industry is here, they've all had a look. We've had a cracking week in the show ring, we've picked up a lot of awards and ribbons for our show cattle as well so it's all come to fruition," he said.

The sale was conducted by GDL, and simulcast online through StockLive.