The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

2025 East Coast bull sales top $8.6 million in huge increase over 2024

Gisborne Herald
27 Jun, 2025 01:56 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The absolute highlight of Bull Week - Tangihau studmaster Dean McHardy (left) with Jane Allen of Angus NZ and the buyer of Monday's record-breaking bull, Keith Higgins of Oregon Angus, with the big boy himself. Photo / Rebecca Williams

The absolute highlight of Bull Week - Tangihau studmaster Dean McHardy (left) with Jane Allen of Angus NZ and the buyer of Monday's record-breaking bull, Keith Higgins of Oregon Angus, with the big boy himself. Photo / Rebecca Williams

The bull sales season in Tairawhiti generated $8.67 million this year, nearly $3.7m up on 2024.

Higher averages were recorded across the participating studs and more bulls were sold than last year.

In 2024, the all-breed sales total in Tairāwhiti was more than $5m.

This year, more than 550 rising two-year-old bulls changed hands across the Angus, Simmental and Hereford studs from Wairoa to Whāngārā.

East Coast Angus accounted for 394 of them, Simmental 110 and Hereford 53.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Simmentals made up $1.313m of the overall $8.669m total, Herefords $584,000 and Angus $6.771m.

All studs involved enjoyed total clearances at their respective sales.

“After what can be described as a rough few years for our local rural communities, the high spirits of [East Coast Angus] Bull Week was a refreshing uplift,” PGG Wrightson genetics representative Emma Pollitt said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“The mood was one of positivity and confidence in the sector, of which we are proud to be part.”

The highlights for Bull Week, which started last Sunday and ran to Wednesday, were the $156,000 New Zealand all-breed, all-time record price paid at the Cricklewood Angus at Nūhaka on Sunday, which was beaten 24 hours later by a $161,000 record-breaking purchase at Tangihau Angus.

The Tangihau average price of $24,880 for 48 bulls sold was the highest on-farm average in New Zealand this season.

It was marginally better than Cricklewood’s average of $24,357 across 13 bulls sold.

Turihaua Angus’s average of $19,569 for its 72 bulls was the third-highest.

“East Coast cattle never disappoint,” Pollitt said. “The loyal repeat buyers were out in force and they came into Bull Week expecting consistent quality across all sales.”

Long-time auctioneer Neville Clark said the district’s stud breeders had produced the right cattle and buyers responded.

“You’ve got to put good power and genetics into your herd,” Clark said. “It’s good to see that’s been recognised by these prices paid here this week.”

Pollitt said out-of-district Angus sales leading up to Bull Week were strong.

“So by way of an educated estimate, the Coast was going to follow suit, but what followed was phenomenal.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“This season was a massive mark of respect and encouragement for the studs here that have stuck to their knitting through some turbulent times. Bring on 2026.”

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Food rescue milestone: Northland charity delivers 1m tonnes to hungry homes

14 Sep 05:00 PM
The Country

Vege tips: Anyone for strawberry spinach?

13 Sep 05:05 PM
The Country

'A most enjoyable afternoon': The Women’s Institute in NZ

13 Sep 05:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Food rescue milestone: Northland charity delivers 1m tonnes to hungry homes
The Country

Food rescue milestone: Northland charity delivers 1m tonnes to hungry homes

Whakaora Kai has redistributed tonnes of food in Northland since 2017.

14 Sep 05:00 PM
Vege tips: Anyone for strawberry spinach?
The Country

Vege tips: Anyone for strawberry spinach?

13 Sep 05:05 PM
'A most enjoyable afternoon': The Women’s Institute in NZ
The Country

'A most enjoyable afternoon': The Women’s Institute in NZ

13 Sep 05:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP