Longhorns Herding Into Scone

LONGHORNS from throughout the eastern seaboard are headed to Scone this weekend for the 10th annual national sale.

The sale has been held in Gunnedah for the last nine years, but the new facilities at White Park has become the new mustering point for the breed’s big event, explained John Hoare, sale co-ordinator for Texas Longhorns Australia.

“We’ve made an executive decision to move it to Scone to the the new state-of-the-facility at White Park,” said Mr Hoare.

“It gives us the ability to showcase our online selling, which then gives us the opportunity to have elite online live coverage of the auction, so people from around the world can bid on our longhorns and the longhorn memorabilia,” he said.

“Bringing it down into the Hunter will open it up to more people too,” he said.

“There is interest from overseas with our longhorn memorabilia, some of it has become quite sort after as collection pieces,” he said. 

“We’ll have 60 lots of longhorns and for the longhorn memorabilia we have horns, jewellery and a very special condamine bell which was made by Bethel Saddlery in Charters Towers and is rung at the beginning of the sale and is then auction at the end of the sale,” John Hoare said.

Patrick Holt, who first brought the longhorn to Australia in the 90’s will be the judge of the Longhorn Show, with 25 of the best longhorns in Australia.

See details of the sale below.

Beasts with Double the Value

“What’s not good about a longhorn?!” laughed John.

“They are an old breed, a very hardy breed, which means they are suited to Australian conditions; they can adapt to the long dry spells which is happening here now and we’ve got them down here in Tasmania where it is a colder climate and they are just a very versatile breed,” he said.

Longhorns are known for their hardiness, but placid nature. Photo: Texas Longhorns Australia.

“Even if people’s properties are a bit rougher in terrain or feed quality they’re a very good animal,” he said.

“A lot of people in Australia don’t realise how goo their meat quality is, they have exceptionally good meat and one of the leanest red meats in the world, so it has great health characteristics,” he said. 

“Once people get the taste of the meat, which is nicely marbled, the longhorn is right up there,”he said.

“But also, when you look at the longhorn you’ve got the ability to value add the animal as well, it’s not only your very good lean meat, you’ve got such a broad array of colours in the hide and can tan the hide and then there is also the horns that make not only fantastic wall mounts but they also use them for making knife handles and all sorts of things,” he said.

“You can basically double the value of the animal from the meat, with the hides and the horns,” he said.

“The temperament is absolutely exceptional, they are placid and on small holdings they’ll be eating out of your hand in no time and the longevity is good, it’s not unusual to have them live up to 20 years,” John Hoare said.

The 10th annual sale will be broadcast live on Elite Livestock Auctions, the catalogue can be viewed on Texas Longhorns Australia, Dean Taylor from Davidson Cameron & Co will be auctioneer and John Hoare is available to talk to anyone interested in the breed: 0417 148 858.

The whole community is welcome to the events over the weekend, to see the majestic cattle up close or for cattle producers to chat about how the breed can be used to diversify a herd.

• What: Meet and Greet, all welcome to talk about the breed.  
• When: 6pm, Friday, September 6, 2019.
• Where: Scone RSL Club, 71 Guernsey Street, Scone.  

• What: 25 Texas Longhorns being judged for 6th National Texas Longhorns Australia Show.
• When: 11am, Saturday, September 7, 2019.
• Where: White Park, 100 Guernsey Street, Scone.

• What: Annual AGM and dinner
• When: 6pm, Saturday, September 7, 2019.
• Where: Scone RSL Club, 71 Guernsey Street, Scone. 

• What: 10th Annual Longhorns Sale, with 61 lots.
• When: 10:30am, Sunday, September 8, 2019.
• Where: White Park, 100 Guernsey Street, Scone.