The 108-year-old Calgary Bull Sale has become more than a cattle genetics venue with the addition of a dog and horse sale.
The latter was added three years ago to revitalize the event and it has grown into a standing-room-only sale.
“We want this to be a unique sale,” said Don Raffan, a rancher and auctioneer from Armstrong, B.C.
The 20 ranch horses sold for an average of $6,510, bringing the total sales to $130,200. Raffan had the high selling horse this year. It sold for $9,500 to John Scott, who ranches south of the city.
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An added event this year was a stock dog sale.
The high selling dog was Dale Clearwater’s Ben, which went to Milton Scott of Airdrie, Alta., for $2,800. Clearwater, of Hanley, Sask., used the four-year-old dog to work cattle on his ranch.
“He’s just my hired hand working cattle,” said Clearwater.
The bull sale drew international support including a live internet connection where interested beef producers from across Canada, United States, England and Ireland logged on.
This year, 261 bulls sold for an average of $3,710, slightly lower than last year’s average when 242 bulls went through the ring. Total gross sales were $970,150.
The 150 Hereford bulls totalled $580,200, averaging $3,867, while 86 Angus bulls totalled $309,600 to average $3,600. The 25 Charolais bulls sold for a total of $80,350 and averaged $3,214.
The grand champion Hereford came from Nels and Terri Nixdorff of Airdrie. Misty Valley Farms of Maidstone, Sask., bought the horned bull for $12,500. The reserve champion and high seller was consigned by Bar Pipe Farms of Okotoks, Alta. The two-year-old bull sold for $25,000 to Brost Land and Cattle Co. of Irvine, Alta.
Gavin and Mabel Hamilton of Innisfail, Alta., won the grand champion Angus for the sixth consecutive time. Ted McPeak, owner of Diamond Willow Ranch of Airdrie bought the bull for $6,000.
The reserve champion was from MVP Red Angus at Beiseker, Alta., and sold to Cattle Creek Ranching Ltd. of Medicine Hat, Alta., for $11,000.
Harvie Ranching of Olds, Alta., had the grand champion and high selling Charolais, which sold to Gordon and Neil Church of Balzac, Alta. The reserve champion was from LA land and Cattle Co., Leduc, Alta., and went to White Lake Colony of Nobleford, Alta., for $3,250.
