The highest priced bull on sale day at Newcomen Herefords will have extra special meaning as the gavel falls, with half the sale price going to a bushfire relief fund. Newcomen’s stud manager, Raelee Jager, grew up around Euroa and knows many people who have lost everything in the recent fires, especially around Longwood and Ruffy.
She said Barry’s offer of half the top-priced bull was very generous.
Barry, 87, is participating for the 20th year with the Beef Week Open Day.
“I feel that everyone else is helping in some way with the recovery after the fires, but I don’t have any hay to give, so this is one way I can help,” Mr Newcomen said.
The Newcomen sale is the 23rd for the family, held annually at the family property, ‘Kanangra’.
Ms Jager said Newcomens will offer 43 bulls this year, down from last year’s 60 head, selecting the ‘best of the best’ for the bull sale.
Stud sires include Yavenvale Ripper, Quamby Plains and Mawarra bulls, with 18 horned bulls in the mix.
Barry is hopeful the sale will be better than the previous year, with a turn in weather and markets.
“I feel that market wise we’ve been through the worst of it,” he said.
“We had an inch of rain a week ago and it doesn’t look too bad, last year we had higher than our average rainfall, but we had a lousy year.
“The winter was cold, September and October had wind every day and by the end of October it was bare and dry.
“We got rain in November and managed to make a bit of hay, but the hay yields in the district have been pathetic.
“We’ve managed to keep the bulls looking pretty good.”
The 23rd Newcomen sale will take place on the morning of Wednesday, March 11, at ‘Kanangra’, Ensay.
