The Texas Longhorns Australia (TLA) National Show and Sale was held in Gunnedah for the last time on the weekend.
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The annual sale has been held in Gunnedah for about 14 years and the show has been running for about eight.
TLA sale coordinator John Hoare said Saturday’s show went “exceptionally well” with about 100 people coming along to the Gunnedah Showground.
“The cattle presentation was extremely well-attended by the families, with a lot of junior members doing the showing,” he said.
Mr Hoare said “numbers were slightly down due to the conditions”, with 25 cattle shown by people from all parts of Queensland and as far down as Tasmania.
“Our American judge John Oliver commented how the cattle were in exceptional conditions considering the drought conditions whilst in Australia,” he said.
“The longhorns that had been bred in Australia are equal to what he has seen in America.
“The three breeders in the show came from Scone, Galong, and Glen Innes.”
Mr Hoare said local Tony Angel “created a lot of interest” with his demonstration of horn polishing. He also made a stockwhip with a handcrafted leather handle, which was gifted to the judge.
“The show is gaining momentum every year. It’s certainly creating more and more interest every year and it’s such a fantastic opportunity to see kids from 10 years of age and upwards handling the longhorn cattle,” Mr Hoare said.
“It just shows the temperament of the breed to have such young children showcasing it.”
The show was followed by a sale on Sunday at the Gunnedah Saleyards. Fifty-four lots of cattle went under the hammer, with Gunnedah man Sam Plevey taking up the role of auctioneer.
“The sale went very well with the top-priced bull Yarra Creek Iron Stone, owned by Ben and Kristy Newbury of Glen Innes NSW, making a top price of $7000. [The price] was up on previous years slightly,” Mr Hoare said.
“[Iron Stone] was an exceptional young bull with great conformation and structure and he also had a very unique colouring as well. For a young bull, he was a complete package, which created spirited bidding.”
The bull was purchased by Garth and Marilyn Herbert of GT Longhorns at Wallangra, NSW.
“Volume buyers were NBar Longhorns in Banana Queensland who purchased four longhorn cows, including the the top-priced cow and top-priced cow and calf package. Other volume buyers were Yennel Longhorns from Tasmania and they bought 15, comprising of cows and calves and young steers,” Mr Hoare said.
“[Overall], sale results were on a part with last year’s sale and considering the dry conditions everybody was quite happy with the prices they received.”
The sale coordinator said from next year the event will be held in September in Scone, with “better marketing opportunities for sellers” one of the reasons for the move.
“There was a lot of reminiscing about the past [in Gunnedah] and a massive amount of enticement about the future with ring-selling being a feature of the move to Scone,” he said.
At the AGM on Saturday night, the TLA also announced that it will develop a youth scholarship for youth between 18-25 years of age, with the recipient to go to America to “gain skills in cattle handling and showing”.
“They have a big youth show circuit over there... so it will be an opportunity for someone to be involved from Australia,” Mr Hoare said.
Show results
Supreme exhibit and champion bull
Southern Cross Escapee owned by Don Constable and Julie Brown
Champion Female
Kooroora Snow Queen and her Heifer calf owned by Rodney Cooper
Champion steer
Koroora Cowboy owned by Rodney Cooper
Most successful exhibitor
Kooroora Longhorns
Best presented exhibit
Kooroora Cowboy owned by Rodney Cooper
Junior parader
Adelaide Cooper
Showmanship award
Katie Dawkins
Sale results
Top-priced bull
Yarrow Creek Iron Stone owned by Ben and Kristy Newbury, $7000
Purchased by Garth & Marilyn Terbutt of GT Longhorns at Wallangra, NSW
Top-priced cow
Southern Cross Pebbles owned by Don Constable and Julie Brown, $4,600
Purchased by Dan and Megan Lamb of NBar Longhorns of Banana, QLD
Top-priced steer
Southern Cross Patches owned by Don Constable and Julie Brown, $1,450
Purchased by the Campbell family
Top-priced cow and calf
Speargrass Jewel owned by David Ovio, $3,800
Purchased by Dan and Megan Lamb of NBar Longhorns of Banana in QLD