Shorthorn breeders from across Australia will parade their prize possessions for eventual sale at the 52nd consecutive National Shorthorn Show and Sale at the Dubbo Showground.
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Preparations were still continuing yesterday as bulls were pampered before being lead to their bedding ahead of the big event in the Ewen McInnes Pavillion.
In all 110 bulls will be brought from four different states, South Australia, NSW, Queensland and Victoria, to be judged today.
Nine heifers will also be auctioned off at 3pm this afternoon before the judged bulls are sold to the highest bidder tomorrow.
The price of the bulls from 40 different vendors sold at the Dectomax event “will range from $3000 to hopefully $30,000”, National Shorthorn Show and Sale secretary Debbie O’Connor said.
“Hopefully it will be more competitive because there aren’t as many bulls and the season people have had has been better,” she said.
While another show and sale is due to run in Tamworth next month the Dubbo event is touted as the main multi-vendor sale for the shorthorn breed.
“It has been going for the longest. It is very prestigious to be here because you are up against the major breeders,” Ms O’Connor said.
There is expected to be 120 buyers at the auction, and they have to register at 10am to be present at the cattle auctions.
Ms O’Connor said buyers could come from as far as Western Australia and Tasmania to Dubbo for the event.
“Some buyers like to come to Dubbo because they get a good idea of where the breed is going. It is a good place to compare animals,” she said.
Since the event was first established there had been many physical changes in the breed, Ms O’Connor, also a shorthorn breeder, said.
“The breed has seen a lot of changes ... it goes in waves, it is back to a moderate well muscled animal.”