The sun was shining for the 79th Annual Glen Innes Bull Show and Sale, held at Glen Innes saleyards on Wednesday 24 July.
Show classes were conducted under the experienced eye of guest judge Doug Bennett of Little Valley Brafords, Casino with first placed intermediate bull Courallie J P022 Ledger T017 ultimately being sashed grand champion bull of the show.
At 24 months of age Ledger T017 tipped the scales at 935 kilograms with the second largest EMA scan in the catalogue of 136 square centimetres and impressed the judge with his combination of phenotype and genetic data.
“I felt he’s very correct with a good topline. He stands on good bone with good figures,” Mr Bennett said.
Second place in the intermediate class was awarded to another Courallie J sire, with Courallie J Q9039 Unique T031 taking home the ribbon.
In the junior bull class first place was awarded to Bahreenah Toulouse; a 22-month-old son of Mountain Valley Pindari P046, exhibited by Jane Leake of Bahreenah Poll Herefords.
Ms Leake described Toulouse as having been “a standout from the beginning” while the judge admired his structure and movement.
“He’s a bull with plenty of length and stretch in him and a good sirey outlook. He moves well and is ready to work,” Mr Bennett said.
Another son of Pindari P046; Bahreenah Troubador was awarded second place in the junior bull class.
First placed senior bull and the prestigious “Yardsmen’s Pick” was awarded to Willgoose Fairsome T093, exhibited by Phil ad Lyle Yantsch.
Sired by Yagaburne Nightwatch N298, the May 2022 drop Fairsome T093 weighed 945 kilograms with an EMA of 133 square centimetres.
Mr Bennett described Fairsome as “a clear-cut winner” with great length of body that would continue to grow into a terrific bull.
Willgoose Flinders T081 took home the second-place ribbon in the senior bull class.
The first and second placed senior bulls were then joined by stablemate Willgoose Fawkner to take out the champion pen of three bulls.
In judging the pen of three class Mr Bennett said he was looking for uniformity across the pens and believed the Willgoose trio were the most well matched.
Second place in the pen of three was awarded to the Courallie team which comprised of the grand champion Courallie J P022 Ledger T017 and second placed Courallie J Q9039 Unique T031, along with Courallie J M288 Matty T012.
Courallie’s show success continued with a win in the champion pen of six, culminating in the Inverell based stud being named most successful exhibitor of the show.
Courallie stud principal David Hann was delighted with their team’s show success.
“To have the success we had today is very humbling,” Mr Hann said.
The female show classes saw a clean sweep for long-time Glen Innes vendor Roger Kneipp of Dundee Echo Park Herefords with Dundee heifers being awarded first place in the junior and senior heifer classes.
First placed senior heifer was awarded to two-year-old Dundee Cherry Ripe T317 while first place junior and grand champion heifer was presented to Dundee Constance 78 U332.
Mr Kneipp described the wins in the competitive heifer classes as “quite the thrill”.
Show success turned to sale success with both the grand champion bull and grand champion female taking top honours in the sale ring.
Courallie J P022 Ledger T017 sold for the top bull price of $10,000 via AuctionsPlus to Paul Dal Bosco, Puckapunya, Victoria.
Having show success backed up with a successful sale was a very pleasing result according to David Hann.
“To have the grand champion and then have the top price in the sale, we’re very happy with that,” Mr Hann said.
Champion heifer Dundee Constance 78 U332 sold unjoined for the top female price of $4,250 to Tom Bell of Killarney, Qld.
Dundee sold all six of their females offered in the sale, a result Mr Kneipp was especially pleased with.
“Our females sold very well, we’re very happy with that. The females have done well for me for the last three years and we’ve got repeat buyers who’ve been pleased with how [the heifers] have performed so they keep coming back,” Mr Kneipp said.
The quality of the cattle on display was commended by all in attendance, with show judge Doug Bennett stating that “the vendors should be very proud of the cattle here today.”
Elders auctioneer Lincoln McKinlay seconded Mr Bennett’s opinion:
“The bulls were presented really well as they always are, the quality of the cattle was really good and the feedback from everyone was great,” Mr McKinlay said.
The 2025 sale and the 80th annual event is something the Glen Innes Show and Sale committee are looking forward to according to committee chairman Peter Weller.
“It’s a pretty big occasion,” Mr Weller said.

Champion bull Courallie J P022 Ledger T017 with vendor David Hann, judge Doug Bennett and Herefords Northern NSW Youth President Riley Weller.

First placed junior bull Bahreenah Toulouse with Macey Davis, Grace Stuart, sponsor Andrew Ewen of RDO Equipment Inverell and Jane Leake, Bahreenah Poll Herefords.

David Hann with top priced bull Courallie J P022 Ledger T017 which sold for $10,000 to to Paul Dal Bosco.

Auctioneer Lincoln McKinlay and Roger Kneipp with top priced female Dundee Constance 78 U332 which sold for the top female price of $4,250.