Celebrating 50 years since the late Gordon Smith first purchased cows from a Bombala stud, Glenellerslie has gone from strength to strength on the back of Gordon’s fast talking to acquire ‘South Bukalong Guardsman’ from then competitor Garnocks Herefords in 1976.
Gordon’s son Ross told Country News that Guardsman’s father was the ultimate Hereford sire at the time.
“The Garnocks were the ‘go-to’ stud back then and Guardsman’s father was ‘the’ bull, and I guess he ended up putting us on the map,” Ross said.
“But the younger people would not have heard of him now.”
Glenellerslie was founded on a sizeable inheritance that Ross’ grandmother left to the family, and the stud is operated in memory of her.
Guardsman’s fecundity was still firing at 15 years old.
“It didn’t matter who you joined him to, you got a good calf,” Ross said.
“You could pick out which ones were his in the neighbour’s cattle.
“He wasn’t a rogue, but it was hard to keep the creek baulks up in the days of no electric fences.”
Sizeable sales in 1979 of up to $1750 (equal to $10,000 today) at the Wodonga Show were a credit to the stud, resulting in local agents remarking over the following years.
To add to the glory was the fact that the sold bulls were taught to lead only one week before.
“Wodonga agents would always ask ‘where’d you buggers come from?’,” Ross said.
“That was after our third trip.”
Glenellerslie bulls are famous for their docility and doing ability.
Ross said the success might have been forged on the grounding send-off from his mother each year.
“She was a pessimist, saying ‘I don’t know why you’re going — you won’t do any good’, he said.
“Luckily, she was mostly wrong.”
This year’s draft will have 25 Hereford and 21 Poll Hereford bulls offered.
Bulls come with the Glenellerslie guarantee, are semen tested and inoculated with Vibriovax, Multimin and Ultravac 7 in 1.
Cattle can be inspected during Beef Week on Wednesday, January 31 at 908 to 1064 Yaven Creek Rd, Adelong.
The sale will be held on Tuesday, February 13 from 1pm by Helmsman auction interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
For further information and the sale catalogue, visit: https://www.glenellerslieherefords.com/
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