BULLS FOR ALL KINDS NEW EVENT BRINGS THE BEST

by Managing Editor Stevie Ipsen

For years, California and Nevada producers have relied on one another in policy and production. With a similar variation in climate and like-mindedness in resourcefulness, it has always made sense for the two states to do business together. Last year, when the news broke that Snyder Livestock would no longer be hosting it’s “Bulls for the 21st Century” bull sale, reception was somber.

It didn’t take long for the wagons to circle and a plan to be formed that could service both seedstock producers in the region as well as commerical producers who had come to rely on the Snyder event as well as the Fallon Bull Sale.

This past fall DKC LLC and the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association announced the Great Basin Bull Sale would be held on Feb. 18, at the Rafter 3C Arena. The new sale brings the best of the two previous events and will be managed by Matt Macfarlane’s M3 Marketing and Col. Jake Parnell will serve as the auctioneer.

Macfarlane says he was all-in from the onset.

“Having been a cattlemen’s association advocate from the beginning of my career and having worked closely with Lucy Rechel on the ‘Bulls for the 21st Century’ event, I couldn’t see a better solution for purebred breeders who need these events to bring their product to commercial producers. It’s a winwin,” Macfarlane said.

Sale hosts Charlie Hone, Kris Gudel and David Holden were among some of the Snyder event’s biggest supporters and their consignment sale experience is invaluable to this inaugural year of the new sale, according to Macfarlane.

The sale will continue to support the Nevada Cattleman’s Association and is a combination of the Fallon All Breeds Bull Sale and the Bulls for the 21st Century Bull Test and Sale. The sale will include performance tested and range ready bulls, with Angus, Herefords, Red Angus, Sim Angus, Lim Flex, Charolais and Balancer bulls committed to the sale.

“Lucy Rechel is an icon in cattle feeding and having her influence on some of these performancetested bulls adds to the legitimacy of the bulls for cattlemen looking for real-world data,” Macfarlane explained. “And for ranchers looking for range-ready bulls ready to go to work, we have those available in large quantity as well.”

The range conditions of Nevada, the Sierra Foothills and the Intermountain West demands options for bull buyers, Macfarlane says, and the Great Basin Bull Sale provides those options from operations across the west.

“There is no one-size-fits-all model for breed, bull age or type of operation and through this sale, the caliber of producers involved ensure every commercial cattleman’s needs can be met and exceeded,” Macfarlane says.

Sale organizers say they are excited to build on the success of the annual Nevada Cattlemen’s Bull Sale by adding new divisions that will improve the experience of both buyers and consignors. The new arena is state of the art, and will offer a trade show and other pre-sale social functions to draw attendance. The sale will be broadcast over the Internet in partnership with DVAuction for the first time, allowing buyers who can’t be there in person to be able to watch and purchase.

This year’s sale festivities kick off with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the sale starts at 1 p.m.

He says, “With a new venue, a tradeshow, lunch and bulls available for viewing, we expect a great deal of interest on sale day so I encourage you to get a seat early. It is going to be exciting.” For more details, visit www.greatbasinbullsale.com.