By the light of a Kimberley moon: Fitzroy Crossing’s Annual Bull Sale.
It was with great pleasure that I returned to one of my favourite places in Australia recently to catch up with some of the most genuine and friendly people I know.
The reason for my visit back to this beautiful region was the 10th Annual Bull Sale held at Fitzroy Crossing, now run (very successfully, I might add) by the professional team from Landmark Broome.
This for me was a very special trip, as it marks not only our 10 years in business but also 10 years for Jim Edwards and his team of vendors bringing bull over from QLD. To see the 186 bulls up for offer looking so good and having travelled the long distance so well from QLD was a great start; all the bulls had been dosed with our Green Cap travel product prior to the trip.
I travelled out to Fitzroy Crossing from Broome with Jessica Groves from Landmark Broome on the Thursday before the sale on Friday. It was great to chat with a young lady with such a passion for our Northern livestock industry and the people that work in it.
Catching up on the Kimberley before the sale
The evening before the Friday sale, there was an opportunity for the vendors and purchasers to get together for a BBQ and charity auction, raising over 20 thousand for the Royal Flying Doctors; a fantastic effort! Among the speakers and presentations was Jimmy Edwards, exploring the last 10 years of effort bringing bulls over to the Kimberley. Everyone agreed that the positive genetic influence that these bulls are having in the Kimberley herds is significant and a great credit to Jim and his son, John.
Back in May, I was lucky enough for Jack Burton from Yeeda to take me through his new abattoirs that he built between Broome and Derby. The facilities are really state of the art and a credit to him. Jack spoke on the night about the abattoirs, and we all agreed that their development is a huge positive for the Kimberley.
A positive era begins again
It was interesting to catch up with so many old friends over that night and hear about all the changes in the Kimberley. I enjoyed catching up with Peter Murray, who has a long associating with the Kimberly and now lives on Kangaroo Island, and very nearly a neighbour to BLM HQ! Peter is working as a consultant for Kerry Stokes, the owner of Channel 7, who bought Mount House Station on the Gibb River Road. Peter bought an excellent line-up of Grey Braham bulls for Mount House the next day.
I also discovered that Gina Rinehart had bought Fossil Downs, Liveringa and Nerrima Stations. It was great to see the positivity return to this incredible region and its community after seeing these wonderful people suffer through challenging times. The live cattle debacle had such a devastating effect on the region.
A successful sale day
The next day, the sale lived up to all expectations with all bulls sold at auction and a $700 average increase on last year. The sale average was $4784.95. The top price bull made $13,000 sold by Lindsay and Lynn Philip from Sevenell and Lynsey Park Droughtmasters, Bell Qld. to Ken Mutton, North Hampton in the Pilbara. The second top price bull at $10,000 was sold by Peter & Joy Newman Rathlan Braham’s Emerald Qld. to RE and CJ Teakle, also from the Pilbara.
For me, it was great to see strong old stalwarts of the Kimberley pick up great line-ups of bull. Keith and Karen Anderson “Jubilee” and Merv and Jenny Wortley from SK Kidman’s “Ruby Plains” always buy top quality.
Seeing my client from Qld bring top quality bulls and genetics to our clients in the Kimberley is very rewarding. To see the industry I love so much in such a positive position and to be with great people in the beautiful Kimberley makes all the hard work worthwhile.
For further sale details on the Fitzroy Crossing Bull Sale 2016, contact Landmark Broome (08) 9192 5722.
Written by Kym Sutherland (CEO)