Page 76 - 2020 NZ Hereford Magazine

The Hereford Year

Okawa sells two of the

country’s top three bulls

WORDS ANDREW RUSSO PICTURED ABOVE: Okawa Rommel: Okawa Rommel 7003 sold for
PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED / MARIA ROBBIE $60,000 to Otapawa and Hukaroa Hereford Studs.

OKAWA CELEBRATED THEIR 50 SALE in style by selling offered for sale. Matariki 110637 proved to be an ‘in demand’
TH
New Zealand’s top priced Hereford bull for 2019. The first bull sire line with sons selling extremely well, including Matariki
through the ring, Okawa Rommel 7003, was knocked down Kinship for $21,000 to Grassmere Herefords, and Matariki
for $60,000 to Otapawa and Hukaroa Hereford Studs. Rommel Knight $18,000 to Stoneburn Herefords. Monymusk Herefords
7003 features an all-Okawa pedigree with high growth and continued a strong tradition of introducing Matariki genetics to
high milk, and is a heifer’s first calf. The first sons of Grassmere their herd with the purchase of Matariki Kimbell for $19,000. An
Gallant 9, the top-priced bull of the 2016 selling season when exceptional sale saw 25 bulls sell for more than $11,000 and a
purchased by Okawa, were in demand, with Okawa Saracen final average of $10,309 on 61 bulls sold.
7117 making the third-top price of the year nationally when The top priced horned bull for the year and the fourth-
selling to Glenbrae for $40,000. Other Grassmere Gallant 9 top overall price was realised for Locharburn Mort 142 at the
sons to sell well included Okawa Saracen 7059 to Craigmore Cromwell-based Brown family’s annual sale. At $37,000 he
Herefords, Waikato for $26,000, Okawa Saracen 7082 to sold to fellow South Island horned breeder Gordon Shearing,
Tawanui Herefords, Taranaki for $20,000, and Okawa Saracen Pourakino Downs. The deep-bodied young sire carries an
7044 to Stoneburn Herefords for $16,000. This strong stud interesting mix of horned blood including Waiau Men at Work,
bidding alongside loyal commercial support helped push the Yarram Lottery, and WB Bear Mark. A full clearance of 27 bulls
average to $10,150 on 50 bulls sold. catalogued sold to average $8000, with strong commercial
The second-top price bull for 2019 was realised at the demand throughout the sale.
Matariki Herefords annual sale in Kaikoura. Okawa Herefords Limehills Herefords rounded out the top five with Limehills
quickly reinvested their money by winning the bidding duel for Dragon 170393 selling to Koanui Polled Herefords, Hawke’s
Matariki King Pin at $57,000. King Pin is a son of homebred sire Bay at $34,000. The impressive young sire is backed up with a
Matariki 110637, with some well performing Okawa bulls in his great data set that has all indexes in the top 10%, being sired
pedigree, and had been used in the Matariki herd before being by Okawa Electra 1117 and out of a young Limehills Stamper
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