vKlaas Venter from Grootvlei purchased the bull (HN 20-140 Frelon) for R200 000. All 49 bulls at the auction were sold. The average price was R95 760, which according to Rodney is the highest average for production auctions this year.

All the female animals were also sold. The highest price was R19 000 for a pregnant heifer, bought by Johan van Zyl from Excelsior. The average price for female animals was R17 312.

The Neuman brothers hold the South African record of R345 000 for the most expensive bull (HN 09-23) sold at an official Drakensberger auction. They took over the Hymgert stud from their father, Hymie, and uncle, Sam, in 1977 and farm in partnership.

MERINOS UNDER THE HAMMER

They also sold Merinos from their Cork Merino stud at the production auction. The most expensive ram was sold for R70 000 to Kojo Boerdery of Koos van Niekerk from Amersfoort. The 70 rams at the auction had an average price of R13 042.

The most expensive stud ewe fetched R5 250 and the average price was R4 375.

OVK handled the auction and the auctioneer was Andrew Miller.