2011 Sale Roundup

All but one go at Diamond Tree — Feb 2011

Story/photo by Bob Garnant and courtesy of

The Gandy family’s annual summer bull sale attracted good buying support as all but one of the 52 bulls offered were sold to a top of $13,500. Average prices were well up on last year, moving upwards by an even $1000 per head. Stud principal Kim Gandy said registrations included many new listings with several new buyers active at the sale.

Diamond Tree Performer E101 which topped the scales at 1010kg, found competitive bidding from two commercial breeders - Arizona Farms, of Lake Grace and Twin Lakes, of Manjimup, the former the successful bidder on the sale topper. The 7.1 framed bull was sired by Bennett Performer and recorded EBVs of +54, +97 and +123 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, which put the meat machine into the top 1 per cent for all growth traits, milk and carcase weights and most indexes. Bob Pumphrey, of Landmark Albany, who bought the bull on behalf of Arizona Farms, said the big volumed bull carried exceptional figures.

New buyer Aaron Constantine, of Jasper Hill Farms, Margaret River, paid the $10,000 second top-price for another Bennett Performer son, Diamond Tree E112. Mr Constantine recently bought a line of Diamond Tree stud cows to add to his herd of 200 cows and heifers. Jasper Hills Farm manager Brock Murray said E112, which featured smartly on the catalogue cover, carried a more moderate 6.1 frame score and had similar volume that featured throughout the sale. Mr Constantine also secured another bull for Jasper Hills Farms, sired by Diamond Tree Lead On, for $8000.

While the weights were well up on most bulls, averaging around 900kg, Mr Gandy said he was pleased with the quality and temperament in the stud’s offerings.

Repeat buyer Vern Mouritz, of Hyden, paid $8750 for a Performer son and $7500 for an Ideal son.

A Booroomooka Warwick son also featured in the top line-up of which caught the eye of Bill Phillips, and his granddaughter, Lyndsay, of Kanangra Grazing, Mayanup. Mr Phillips secured the 988kg bull for $8500.

Twin Lakes came back into the sale to secure Diamond Tree Eclipse E247 for $8000.

New buyer Murray Nixon, of Gingin, bought his first Diamond Tree bull for $8000. Mr Nixon said he was looking for pedigree and performance for his selection of a low birth weight bull.

Also at the sale and securing a bull was Gilbert and Marilyn Rowan-Robinson, of Bridgetown. The couple were named MLA’s most efficient cattle breeders before semi-retiring to a more manageable herd size. Gilbert, who said he is fastidious with EBV figures, bought a low-birth weight bull with high growth. He said cattle breeders can produce more improved tender beef by using the EBVs to select animals that breed calves which do not require HGPs through the feedlot. 

With the $13,500 top-priced bull are Orest Luzny, of Elders Manjimup, Lex and Kim Gandy, of Diamond Tree, and Bob Pumphrey, of Landmark Albany.