Colonel Jones had the first bull in the ring at 7 p.m. sharp and "sang his song" to an excited and enthusiastic crowd Jeff Wade of Wade Cattle Company, Stockbridge, Ga. and T.H. Avery of Covington, Ga. teamed up to grab two-thirds interest and possession of SR Wrangler Warrior L109 at $5,000 even to make him the high seller. This powerful son of Aces TF Wrangler 14518 (Wrangler) had posted the second highest 365-day weight off test at 1256 pounds (Ratio 112) and weaned at 704 pounds (Ratio 117) out of a Cadence of Brinks sired cow. L109 had BW, YW and MILK EPDs of 0.5, 44.4 and 15.0 pounds, respectively; and had ultrasound scanned a huge 14.9 square inch REA with 3.05% IMF.

Another crowd pleaser, SR Wrangler Warrior L107, also a Wrangler son, was second high seller with two-thirds interest and possession going to Danny Fanning, Lacoma, Mo., at $4,300. L107 had posted the highest 365-day weight off test at 1261 pounds Ratio 113) with a 709 pound 205 day weight (Ratio 118) also out of a Cadence of Brinks daughter. EPDs on L107 were 2.4, 54.1 and 14.8 pounds for BW, YW, and MILK, respectively and his thick muscled appearance was backed up with an ultrasound scan of a 13.5 square inch REA and 2.93 percent RAF.

There were bulls in everyone's price range before the sale was over from the $5,000 high to $1,000 for an average of $2,888, with bulls selling to South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Missouri. Wes McAllister's Blue Branch Farms was volume buyer with three bulls. Blue Branch also bought the third highest selling bull with a $4,650 bid on SR Cadence Warrior L102. L102 was a calving ease son of Cadence of Brinks with a BW EPD of 1.7 pounds and a 62 pound actual birth weight while still carrying an YW EPD of 53 pounds.

Immediately following the bulls was the Customer Female Sale where previous Spitzer Ranch bull buyers gather to market commercial replacement females.

Consignors this year were Creamer Farms, Anderson, S.C., McCollum Farms, Greenwood, S.C., Mappin Farms, Greenwood, S.C. and Blue Branch Farms, Mt. Carmel, S.C.

Gene Munns, Greenwood, S.C. gave $850 each for an extra fancy pen of three Black Gold three percent Brangus yearling heifers from McCollum Farms to make them the high selling pen. Second high sellers were a pen of three dark silver Brangus sired yearling heifers from Blue Branch Farms. They went to Loye Mayfield, Gaffney, S.C. for $760 each. Altogether 51 open yearling heifers in 20 lots sold for an average of $695.

We are always thankful to see our friends, neighbors and customers old and new at our annual sale. For more information about this year's sale or to get on our mailing list please contact us at 864/972-9140 or e-mail at [email protected].