Santas are set to steal the show at the Queensland Beef Expo in Toowoomba at the end of the month with preparations well under way for the 43rd annual Big S Sale.
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The sale will be held on August 31 at the showground, in conjunction with the Beef Expo that will showcase a large display of beef cattle equipment and products.
This year’s sale offering of 60 bulls and six females from nine prominent studs will include the pick of the draft from new vendors Celia Mackay of Celamba Stud, John and Rosemaree McCarthy of Rosehill Stud and Robert and Rachel Vincent of Calonbah Stud.
Fifty seven of the bulls are classified – they have been inspected and approved by breed classifiers – and include 70 per cent polls, according to sale Big S group chairman Glenn Holt.
Also offering bulls at this year’s sale will be long-time established group members Baroda, Linlands, Hallcraig, Rosevale Park, Santalands and Valleyview studs.
“These studs together with the new vendors will offer a catalogue of proven performance genetics that have attracted repeat buyers year after year,” Mr Holt said.
“With some vendors having been selling bulls for more than 40 years the reputation of their cattle is well known and appreciated.
“A very select offering of six classified poll females will be a rare opportunity to secure some valued genetics with top young breeders.”
The Big S Sale is well known by stud and commercial breeders as a source of quality cattle at a realistic price representing real value for money on the Santa Sale Circuit.
“Last year’s sale was regarded as possibly the best value in the Santa circuit,” Mr Holt said. “Many buyers commented that they should have bought earlier in the sale run and they should have bought at Toowoomba.”
There will be a number of outstanding bulls offered, Mr Holt said, including the Grand Champion bull of the Toowoomba Show Rosehill Legend, and he will also be shown in Brisbane next week at the Ekka.
“The Big S sale is a benchmark sale for multi-vendor sales in Australia,” he said. “This year the quality is probably the best we have had for many years.”
The quality of the sale draft wasn’t compromised by a “patchy season”.
“Santa cattle have proven themselves over many years to cope with a huge variety of country and the variance of seasons,” Mr Holt said.
All bulls are semen tested and vaccinated with 7 in 1,3 germ blood and have been inspected by breed classifiers prior to sale.
Catalogues are available from Elders or Landmark Toowoomba.
