Country Life: The East Coat's best bulls on offer

The East Coast bull sales draw potential buyers from all around the country and even as far away as Australia - you can spot them by their Akubra hats.

Held over four days, nine sales between Wairoa and Gisborne see hundreds of bulls sold for eye-watering sums.

Tangihau Angus, near Rere, about 40 minutes west of Gisborne, had set the record for two years running, prompting Country Life's visit last year to meet the yearling bulls which featured in this week's sale.

Those big, beefy boys were even bigger and drew quite a crowd to the on-farm sale.

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PGG Wrightson auctioneer Neville Clark - known better as Clarky - has been in the game for more than 40 years and said this year's sale included some "very well-presented" bulls with some "great data sets".

"The bulls, they look like bulls. They've got a bit of weight and power," he told Country Life.

"You can see everything that's actually in the genetic patterns here, which is really good. I mean, it's got a good reputation, the cattle are bred on the hills, and I think people will appreciate what's in front of them."

He said the East Coast sales were a "wonderful occasion for the Angus breed".

"For the cattlemen of this country, we've got a reasonable number of people that just roll in for the two or three days to see the beauty of our country and to see the bulls and be blessed with what we've got."

Clark expected extra interest given strong beef returns.

"[The] positive outlook for the cattle market has buyers more confident - more bulls feature in this year's East Coast sales which gives buyers more options."

Paul Hickman from Taimate Angus in Ward made the journey from Marlborough.

"Nadine, my wife, has come with me. She's never been up here before and so it was good for her to come up and have a look at how things are done up here.

"I do like to come up to these guys most years if we can, and certainly try and buy a bull if we can, if something floats our boat. There's some great cattle up here, and so always looking to shop."

The couple had earlier this month claimed what was thought to be the new top price, selling an Angus bull to Tangihau for $168,000 - $7000 more than the $161,000 record set by Tangihau last year.

Hickman said it was one of those "industry weeks" where it was good to catch up with others and get away from the farm for a few days.

Of his own early record, he said it was "pretty significant" for a South Island stud to initially take out this year's top price, as the East Coast studs normally dominated in terms of highest prices and averages. But he was pragmatic: "Records are made to be broken."

Other potential buyers had plenty of praise.

Fellow South Island stud operator Sarah Hussey from Mount Possession Angus near Ashburton Lakes was certainly impressed - it was her first time visiting the East Coast sales too.

"There'll be a lot of excitement, I'd say, here today. Beautifully presented bulls."

Every buyer has something different in mind.

Wairoa farmer Dave Martin was looking for a bull suited to hill country.

"For us, we're after the moderate-framed, fleshy bulls. You get them here at Tangihau."

He expected some fierce competition as it was a "great time to be farming".

"I think farmers have got a bit more cash in their pocket and they're prepared to, within reason, to go that little bit extra mile to get the bull they're after."

Apart from hoping for a good bull at an even better price, he said it was a "hugely social occasion".

"It brings a lot of New Zealand up and we get to catch up with people that we see once a year at these events."

After a look at the bulls resting in the paddocks, potential buyers packed into Tangihau's custom-built sale barn, with people flowing out the door.

All 56 bulls paraded through the pen sold for an average price of $24,550 each. Tangihau's top bull sold for $100,000.

While there were no new records set, stud manager Dean McHardy was happy with the total clearance.

"It's good to have a couple of top bulls in there to say, you know, the quality's here, and the commercial fellas have got away with some pretty good bulls."

He said he was pleased to see a few repeat buyers as well as some new ones.

"They'll work well for them. They work here at Tangihau so they'll work pretty much anywhere around New Zealand."

The bull, 24V314, was bought by a consortium of New Zealand breeders and an Australian stud farm - Waikato's Rolling Rock Angus stud in Te Akau, Earnscleugh Station in Central Otago and Ardrossan Angus in New South Wales.

Learn more:

You can find out more about Tangihau here and find photos from our previous visit here.