With a new judging format in place, for the first time in history at the Herefords Australia National Show and Sale, Wodonga, horned and polled bulls will be judged together.
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Andrew Donoghue, event coordinator, Herefords Australia, said things are looking positive for another successful event, with 48 vendors submitting 189 entries.
“It marks a special occasion because of the combined poll and horn judging for the first time,” he said.
Entries span from central Queensland, Keith in South Australia and as far as Tasmania.
Mr Donoghue said coming off the strength of the southern weaner sales in January and March and the southern bull sales in February, he anticipates a strong commercial base in the market.
“There will be stud sires sold for stud prices, but we also need that commercial base to put the floor in the market,” he said.
He believes the Whiteface presence in southern Australia remains strong.
“It is very strong in the high country in Victoria and we saw that in the mountain calf sales last month,” he said.
One Whiteface breeder who sees Wodonga as platform for exposure is third generation Hereford producer, Robert Hain, Gunyah Herefords, Cooma.
Mr Hain runs 300 registered stud cows with another 100 head of commercial head. These are run alongside a 2000 head self-replacing Merino flock on a little over 2000 hectares.
Six of the seven bulls heading to Wodonga from Gunyah are June/July 2016-drop and included are two sons by Tycolah Jovial F77, the 2012 Sydney Royal Urquhart Trophy winner and Dubbo National grand champion.
The 52nd Herefords Australia National Show and Sale will be held at Wodonga Exhibition Centre on Wednesday and Thursday May 10 and 11.
Integrated Hereford and Poll Hereford judging begins on Wednesday morning at 10am. Judging duties will be carried out by Steve Crowley, Tycolah Poll Herefords, Cobbadah. There will be 78 horned Hereford bulls and 111 Polled Hereford bulls.
The sale kicks off on the Thursday at 9am.