81ST ANNUAL RED BLUFF BULL SALE
Jan. 29, Red Bluff, CA
290 Total bulls: $4,629
10 Balancers: $6,250
154 Angus: $5,192
29 SimAngus: $4,677
1 Brangus: $4,500
2 Maine-Anjou: $4,150
9 Red Angus: $3,744
27 Charolais: $3,701
10 Polled Herefords: $3,675
5 Simmentals: $3,580
36 Herefords: $3,487
1 Limousins: $2,750
6 Shorthorns: $2,550
Auctioneers: Rick Machado, Trent Stewart, Max Olvera & Eric Duarte
Entrenched with history, the Red Bluff Bull Sale continues to defy the odds with one successful sale after another. One year ago, while dealing with COVID-19 regulations, this sale went on with great success.
At that point, worries about a dry winter were setting in, as minimal storm systems had not given the western U.S. needed moisture. However, the extent of the drought wasn’t yet known. Today, we can look back at last year and realize it was the driest year on record for much of the area. This has forced liquidation of the West’s cow herd by an estimated 7 percent.
[inline_image file=”c5f04b9c7034aeed2920384dbbe768c7.jpg” caption=”Supreme Champion and Champion SimAngus, exhibited by Broken M and Mayo Livestock, Live Oak, CA..JPG”]
A smaller cow herd equates to less cows that need bulls, so new bulls purchases, you would think, would be off. Yet right in the heart of one of the hardest-hit areas for drought, the Red Bluff Bull Sale had one of their best ever sales!
Overall, this sale increased by eight bulls and increased the average by $43/head but has maintained the quick increase of over $700 per bull in 2020. To see the average remain at this level is an enormous success.
The consignors of the Red Bluff Bull Sale have remained consistent for many years. A core group of cattlemen and cattlewomen bring bulls each year, which buyers have come to know and expect for their quality. Commercial ranchers around California, Oregon and Nevada gather for the sale, and many cattlemen purchase their year’s bull battery at this sale.
In an age where consignment sales are known to struggle, this sale continues to bring uniform quality, pedigrees and consistency so these ranchers can assemble a group of bulls that add value to their calf crops.
Beyond the consignors we see every year, we did see a new face to the crowd. This year, Shandar Angus Ranch, Payson, UT, decided to bring a group of halter Angus bulls to the sale. At the conclusion of the week, Morgan Andrews, owner of Shandar Angus, said, “We were just treated so wonderfully by everyone. They made us feel right at home—the other consignors, the committees, the graders and the buyers. We will definitely be back. One of the best weeks we’ve had.”
This is often true of the community in Red Bluff, and it’s easy to see why it’s been so successful: Good people are working to provide an avenue for good cattle to reach good cattlemen.
The bulls are sifted and graded stringently throughout the week. There is a sifting committee studying soundness, structure and overall quality. If the bull doesn’t meet their expectations, the bull is immediately sifted before it ever has the chance to reach the grading committee.
Once the bull passes the sifting process, it continues to the show ring, where it is judged in classes with its contemporaries, and the classes are given a number grade. This number is then used in the selling order. Keeping the quality at a high level has helped build the reputation a Red Bluff Bull carries and has driven the success for this sale.
Congratulations to all the consignors, especially Broken M/Mayo Livestock for consigning the Supreme Champion Bull, who was an outstanding SimAngus bull, and longtime consignor Kudlac Herefords for consigning the Reserve Supreme Champion Bull, who was a Hereford bull.
The Bull Sifting Committee comprised Mac McGiffin, Red Bluff, CA; Matt Owens, Red Bluff, CA; and Walt Brown, Red Bluff, CA. The Bull Grading Committee comprised Mark Bidwell, Hat Creek, CA; Lane Russ, Ferndale, CA; and Sam Shaw, Caldwell, ID.
TOPS: Rafter E Southern Charm 2006, 2/24/20 Angus by BUBS Southern Charm AA31; from Rafter E Angus, Ronan, MT, to Alan Shufelberger, Redding, CA, $30,000. JMA Cavalry 1902-SCTY, 9/30/20 Angus by Diamond Cavalry 64F0; from Jackson Mountain Angus, Winnemucca, NV, to Alan Shufelberger, Redding, CA, $18,000. Roadrunner Grit 3846, 4/9/20 Angus by Roadrunner Grit 2197; from Cardey Ranches, Turlock, CA, to Broken M Ranch, Maxwell, CA, $9,500. Shandar Patriot 54J, 12/15/20 Angus by 2K Patriot 298; from Shandar Angus Ranch, Payson, UT, to Rick and Linda Anderson, Eagle Point, OR, $9,500. PK Cascade 20K33, 5/4/20 Hereford by PK Cascade 17K15; from Kudlac Herefords, Grants Pass, OR, to McBride Hereford Ranch, Mabton, WA, $8,750. Keith’s Pioneer Joe, 9/14/20 Angus by Sweet Lequieu Joe Black 302; from Larry Imbach and Keith Pearce, Burns, OR, to Chase Ranch, Montague, CA, $8,500. — LOGAN IPSEN
