RENOWNED as a pioneering sale of the Australian beef industry, it is perhaps fitting the Big Country Brahman Sale, held each year in Charters Towers, was also the nation’s first auction to adopt live simulcast online selling.

Established by a trio of private agents and a determined group of breeders in 1994, “Big Country” is now a flagship event of Queensland’s north and a fixture of the bull sale calendar. In 2016, its innovative spirit was seen again, when it partnered with Elite Livestock Auctions.

Acclaimed stud stock auctioneer Ken McCaffrey, McCaffrey’s Australian Livestock Marketing, was one of Big Country’s founders who has since passed over the reins of the sale to Queensland Rural. He said the sale strived to provide vendors and buyers a better experience year-on-year, which made Elite Livestock Auctions the perfect match for Big Country when exploring online selling capabilities. 

“The Big Country Brahman Sale has never been afraid to be out front and leading the industry,” Mr McCaffrey said.

“The initial sale with Elite exceeded all of our expectations, and there is no doubt it has brought more business to our sales”. 

“We have found our online buyers are most active across the commercial side of the market, however, we have also had bids placed on bulls selling for high five-figure prices.” 

Since Elite Livestock Auctions partnered with Big Country, 3026 online viewers have watched more than $19 million worth of Brahmans being sold through the ring via the live simulcast of the auctions. 

Building Big Country 

In the early nineties a small group of Brahman breeders began to call for a multivendor sale in Charters Towers, given the rural community is a central hub for North Queensland’s key production areas.  

Mr McCaffrey, along with prominent local agents, Jim Geaney and Bill McCullough, backed the idea and held a meeting in 1993 to discuss how to move forward. It was after that gathering the enduring concept of the sale was born when Mr McCaffrey sent out notes taken at the meeting with the handwritten title ‘Big Country Brahman Sale’.

From inception, Mr McCaffrey said organisers strived to bring a new standard of selling to stud sale auctions. 

“From the beginning we implemented a program where every bull was inspected prior to sale before being selected for inclusion,” Mr McCaffrey said. 

“Whether they were a stud sire or a herd bull, all lots were held to a high-standard criteria so the buyer could be confident they were making a sound purchase. At the time, this wasn’t a common occurrence, and a high percentage of bulls were getting passed in at auctions. 

“Establishing these standards early on provided a signal to the marketplace the Big Country Brahman Sale was building a reputation for quality.” 

Doing it their way

The Big Country Brahman Sale also bucked other trends when the organising team opted for a start-of-year sale day. 

“We elected to host our sale at the start of the year to not impose ourselves on other auctions, which had established markets, and because producers in the North tend to join their cattle a little later,” Mr McCaffrey said. 

The move to step away from the pack paid dividends, as the Big Country Brahman Sale is today considered to be the bellwether auction for the year’s selling season, providing an important opportunity for producers to gauge market trends.  

Complementing the sale with Elite Livestock Auction’s simulcast has further fuelled this movement, as viewers from across the country can tune in to watch the bidding unfold.  

“The industry looks to our sale as an indicator of what lays ahead,” Mr McCaffrey said. 

“Seedstock producers and buyers from across the nation, regardless of which breed they focus on, watch the simulcast as they know when Big Country flies the rest of the season will have strong selling results.”    

Partnering with Elite Livestock Auctions was a combination which worked from the very beginning, as Mr McCaffrey reflected Elite’s debut in Charters Towers in 2016 achieved notable results. 

In total, more than 25 registered online buyers picked up 6 lots for a top of $20,000 and contributed $65,500 to the overarching sale gross of $1.71 million. 

The sale was also one for the record books, with the world’s most expensive herd bull, Kenilworth 4899, a sire bred by Kelvin and Margaret Maloney, Kenilworth Brahman Stud, Mt Coolon, being sold to Brian and Cindy Hughes, Lanes Creek Brahmans, Georgetown, at the selling complex for $96,000 – a mark that still stands today.

Creating buyer options 

Mr McCaffrey said Elite Livestock Auctions had expanded the Big Country Brahman Sale’s buying pool, which sprawls across Australia’s thriving northern beef industry and well into key southern markets. 

“From the very first sale we could see the increased buyer competition online selling was creating,” Mr McCaffrey said. 

“Watching Big Country over the years, I have found it remarkable to see buyers from as far north as the Northern Territory easily secure three of four bulls for their operation via remote bidding.” 

Mr McCaffrey said online selling platforms, like StockLive and Elite Livestock Auctions, provided incredible flexibility to all potential buyers, not just those facing the tyranny of distance.

“There are plenty of times where people have the intention of going to a sale, but physically cannot because the windmill breaks down, or they just had two inches of rain and have to travel across kilometres of black soil,” he said. 

“Or, for people who are busy, say they are in the middle of branding their calves but have their eye on a bull they like, they can watch the auction when their bull’s lot is close, make their bid, then carry on walking their cattle home to their paddock in the afternoon. 

“It’s instances like this the online option is invaluable. 

“The Big Country Brahman Sale is extremely proud of its partnership with Elite Livestock Auctions, and we are pleased to have shown industry leadership in online selling.”  

THE annual Ray White Epic Horse Sale and Campdraft, to be held on 5-8 May at the Armidale Exhibition Centre, has expanded to include a 107-performance horse line-up in 2022, up more than 20 lots on its record-breaking event last year. 

Blake O’Reilly, Ray White Armidale, said the bourgeoning sale had grown year-on-year since inception and cemented its place as a leading equine auction and sporting event. 

“Already, the horses booked in to be sold are being prepared by well-regarded trainers and boast premium bloodlines which are well known for creating champions in the campdraft, challenge and cutting arenas,” Mr O’Reilly said. 

“Last year, we complemented the sale with StockLive for the first time which broadened the buying pool, and we saw horses head to states right across Australia.

“This has also now allowed us to develop the auction further.”

In 2021, prices peaked at $30,000 for a stylish 15-hands-high chestnut mare, One Moore Gift, offered by TC and LE McCarthy. 

The average for mares lifted by more than $5,000 compared to the previous sale to reach a record of $10,566, while the gelding average was close behind at $10,210.

In total, 20 lots were purchased via StockLive, including Hunter View Rhyme, a three-year-old black mare offered by Warwick and Fiona Lawrence purchased for $27,000 by Drew and Sally Stevenson.

Across the four-day event, more than 1000 people tuned in to StockLive’s live simulcast, which included coverage of the preworks, auction and campdraft. 

This year, Mr O’Reilly said a big screen would be constructed at the Armidale Exhibition Centre so onlookers also had the chance to watch StockLive’s professional broadcast in real time. 

“It will be similar to the screen you see during NRL games and provide an instant replay giving spectators on the day an improved viewing experience,” Mr O’Reilly said. 

To capture smooth and complete footage of campdraft competitors, StockLive uses multiple camera operators strategically placed to ensure both the cut-out yard and fast-paced outside runs are showcased for viewers.  

The campdrafting program has also been broadened, and this year will include the Infinity Campdraft, a special competition eligible to horses aged five years and older which have been purchased through the Ray White Epic Horse Sale and Campdraft.

“We are confident this draft will become a legacy event and will provide a great incentive for buyers who purchase through our sale to come back and compete in a special event,” Mr O’Reilly said. 

Once again, the campdraft has been supported by a superb range of cattle donors, and each separate draft will have a consistent single line of stock to improve the fairness of the overall competition. 

Looking ahead to the May event, Mr O’Reilly was anticipating high-scoring runs during the campdraft and fierce bidding competition at the sale. 

“Partnering with StockLive has provided our four days of competition and auction a point of difference, and looking ahead we are confident we can continue to grow our event to, hopefully, one day have a sale offering of 200 horses,” Mr O’Reilly said. 

For more information about the Ray White Epic Horse Sale and Campdraft visit here

AT the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when social distancing restrictions meant vendors, unregistered buyers and spectators could not attend the saleyards, South-West Victoria Livestock Exchange (SWVLX) Saleyard Manager, Paul White, knew he needed to move the sale online to keep the flow of cattle moving.

After speaking to StockLive Manager, Libby Hufton, on a Tuesday, the online-bidding platform and live simulcast was up and running by that Friday’s Store Sale. 

“StockLive fit like a glove,” Mr White said. 

"From the very first sale the partnership has run smoothly and gave us great peace of mind during the pandemic.

“We have continued on with StockLive as it means buyers can have confidence to bid and secure cattle regardless of where they are based. It’s also important for vendors, who work long hours and extremely hard to produce excellent cattle, to watch their stock being sold.”

In the past two years, a total of 3184 viewers have tuned in to watch the auction simulcast. 

“Particularly during our weaner auctions, which are held in December and January, we sell cattle to buyers right across the country,” he said.

Established in 1883, and previously known as the Warrnambool Saleyards, SWVLX moved from the centre of town to its current location at Caramut Road in 1970 and is a vital link in Victoria and Australia’s livestock supply chains.

In 2020, a $969,000 upgrade to the facility was finalised, including the development of a 3500 square-metre roof over 40 holding pens. Tenders are also now open for construction of roofing across all selling pens, as part of a multi-million-dollar project to optimise animal welfare and ensure sale days run smoothly. 

“The buyers’ walkways, auctioneer platforms and our water treatment infrastructure will also soon be upgraded,” Mr White said. 

Rapid uptake of technology

The introduction of StockLive has aligned with the major upgrades modernising the saleyards and has been utilised across 27 sales. 

On average, auctions with StockLive operating receive approximately 20 per cent of bids from online buyers and more than 2,500 head of cattle have been purchased via the platform, which equates to $3.8 million in value.

Jack Kelly, JJ Kelly Stock Agency, has been marketing his clients’ stock at SWVLX for close to 30 years, and said vendors and buyers were swift to embrace online selling during an uncertain time for the industry. 

“We have never had to cancel a sale at SWVLX during all my years at the saleyard, but we were forced to do so when the pandemic hit,” Mr Kelly said. 

“It wasn’t a good time, and there was huge uncertainty for buyers and vendors. 

“With StockLive, not only could our vendors watch their stock being sold, but our buyers could bid from any location.

“When the platform was first up and running I would ring my clients to let them know where the prices were sitting and they would tell me they already knew as they had been watching the sale online.”

Since COVID-19 restrictions have eased, Mr Kelly said some vendors and buyers had chosen to watch and bid on the auctions in person, while others still prefer StockLive’s flexibility. 

“There is no doubt, online selling has helped grow our buying pool, and we have increased bidding competition across sales, as StockLive buyers bid strongly,” he said. 

“It was certainly a strange sensation when we first started selling and the buyers from the front of the pen would walk off, as it was only StockLive buyers left bidding.”

Modern buyers’ demands 

Kieran Johnstone, Nutrien Ag Solutions Warrnambool, said StockLive had paved way for improved pre-sale marketing, which modern buyers were now expecting. 

“The information provided is extremely important to buyers, and Stocklive has cattle weights, their breeding, vendor details and vaccination history clearly displayed,” Mr Johnstone said.  

The access Stocklive delivers to both buyers and vendors has also allowed Mr Johnstone to provide outstanding service to the most diverse and widespread of clients. This includes a producer who owns farms and cattle in south-west Victoria, but spends half of the year in the United States. 

“He has never had to miss out on watching his cattle sold, as he can tune in from his home in Virginia Beach in the U.S,” he said.