Dear Fellow breeders
Frontier Bonsmaras will hold their 10th Production Sale on Wednesday the 19th of August at the Grahamstown auction yard commencing at 12h00. We will offer 60 selected bulls and 200 commercial females. Bulls this year include potential stud sires from proven herd sires such as LAR07-055, AG07-457, GCD09-111, GCD09-112, LAR04-377 and LAR07-038. These bulls show excellent qualities and will be a credit to any stud herd. All animals are from Heartwater, Gallsickness and Redwater areas. Hobson & Co will officiate with Brandon Leer as auctioneer.
It is hard to believe that this is the 10th Frontier sale. It is only through the support of many loyal clients and committed Bonsmara farmers that we have achieved this milestone. We thank you all for this and hope that we will continue to satisfy your need for quality cattle into the future.
“I hope everyone that is reading this is having a really good day. And if you are not, just know that in every new minute that passes you have an opportunity to change that.” Gillian Anderson
Life is forever changing, and although sometimes threatening, to resist completely is to jeopardize your future. We face many challenges, threats and opportunities in our country today. The bold will ignore the negatives and focus on the opportunities and move forward with their businesses growing them and nurturing them so as to help satisfy the need for food security in our country. Yes, it is difficult to be positive in a sometimes very negative environment. With farmers, decreasing in number and increasing in age, food security is a very real threat to our nation and this government knows it. However, they choose to use our land as a political football whenever it suits them. Land is a sensitive issue and a very emotive one, but economic sense has to prevail. Land reform is necessary and we all know it. A framework is necessary but nothing concrete can be agreed upon as the goalposts are continuously shifted. We cannot all stop farming and wait for such things to be decided. We must all continue, shutting out the negatives, to produce and grow agriculture within this country for the betterment of all. Let’s put trust in our constitution and embrace all the opportunities out there.
“Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
― George Bernard Shaw
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John. F. Kennedy
Frontier itself faces new challenges and changes. JJ Park and his family are emigrating to Australia in December and have sold the entire Kingspark stud to a single buyer. Unfortunately these genetics will be leaving the Eastern Cape. He will, however, be selling his last string of bulls on this year’s sale. Mark Lake and family have decided to concentrate on game breeding and will no longer sell bulls on the sale. Mark remains a Frontier member and will assist with the organising and marketing of the female side of the sale. Peter and Brett Knott dispersed their Botha’s Post stud recently achieving an average of R21000 for their females. Just reward for a brilliant herd lovingly nurtured since 1974. They will sell bulls on this year’s and next year’s sale. Peter has decided it is time to relax and Brett is going to be concentrating on citrus production. Although sad, for Frontier and the Eastern Cape, we have to respect their wishes and wish them well for the future.
This brings exciting new opportunities for Frontier. Darryl Fetting (Alphaeton Bonsmara’s) and family will be joining us as new members. They will begin by selling a few bulls this year and become full members in 2017. Passion in any form of breeding is a must for success in this field. The Fetting’s are committed breeders with abounding passion for their cattle. We look forward to many years of breeding.
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” ~Henri Bergson
10 years of Frontier has seen some of the best genetics made available to these parts of the Eastern Cape. Bulls such as EI94-339, LAR99-404, GCD05-148, CEF99-287, DAJ05-055, and LAR07-055 have done much to improve the Bonsmara in this area. This year’s offering of bulls are once again full of these bloodlines and we believe they are something special.
Transport of bulls purchased at our 10th production sale will be free within a radius of 200km. This will not be applied rigidly depending on what you spend and whether or not a plan can be made to deliver your bull for free. Please note that the onus is on the buyer to insure their purchases in transit.
Prominent herd sires of bulls on sale:
GCD05-148: a dark red son of EI94-339. Owned by Mark Lake and currently being used by Justin Stirk, Hentie van Eck, Kobus Coetzee and Martiens Aveling .This bull is breeding as well as if not better than his father did (EI94-339). He has good length of body, good dark hooves, muscling, fleshing and capacity. This bull is now 10 years old and still has incredible libido. He breeds consistently dark red feminine heifers with good udders. His bull calves are also breeding consistently good progeny. He has produced 350 calves in 10 herds.785 second generation progeny. 3 Sons on sale and 7 grandsons.
LAR07-055 – one of the most impressive sons produced by Up George from the Gene Pool bull BG04-88. 55 is an exceptional looking bull with outstanding beef qualities. He’s a proud masculine bull with extremely good width over the shoulder, going right through to a very broad well fleshed and muscled hindquarter. He is a pre-potent sire with his qualities of muscling, width and fleshing being passed on to his offspring. Both heifers and bulls are of exceptional quality. He has already sired 299 calves in 7 herds and is being used heavily in the Up George stud. 316 second generation progeny. 9 sons on sale.
GCD 09-111 – bred by Glynn Handley out of the sire DAJ05-055. This is an early maturing bull with plenty of fleshing, depth and capacity. He is very masculine and broad and his progeny show it as well. He was purchased by JJ Park in 2012. We expect great things from this bull in years to come. Already used by Kingspark Bonsmaras, Goodwoods Bonsmaras and Glynn & Craig Handley. 7 Sons on sale.
GCD09-112 – an outstanding son of DAJ05-055. Bred out of an EI94-339 cow this bull has it all. A beautiful sleek dark coat, outstanding feet, muscling, breadth, capacity and length. 112 has bred consistently well. His progeny are well muscled with excellent capacity. This bull has “has plenty of music in his background”. His female progeny have plenty of milk as the BLUP figures show. 8 sons on sale
DAJ08-061 – a dark red son of CEF02-328. This bull shows tremendous length and width right through. He has excellent feet and legs as well. There are 4 sons on sale and all have the same qualities. Thick, early maturing, width, length and as tough as nails.
CEF99-287- bred and used by Fourie Scheepers, Ashley Whitfield, Glynn Handley and Justin Stirk. This bull has already sired 467 calves in 8 herds and is a “proven” herd sire. He shows and breeds tremendous capacity complimented by good length, breadth, bone and excellent testes. He has and breeds an outstanding muzzle. His daughters are outstanding with ample milk and impressive udders and breed consistently well. If you are looking for “grass fed” beef look no further. This bull has 1183 second generation progeny. 2 sons on sale. The last bull’s from this sire.
Bull’s and females may be viewed at any time by appointment with the relevant breeder. Should you need accommodation contact Justin Stirk on 082 6625901.
Yours in breeding
FRONTIER BONSMARA’S
Peter Knott 072 2994491/046 6452412
Glynn Handley and Sons (Craig) 082 8086132/046 6250943
J J Park 072 4057916/046 6850644
Justin Stirk 082 6625901/046 6222102
Darryl Fetting 0731900284
Mark Lake 072 1287967/041 4680343
HOBSON & CO
Paul Hobson 082 6524724
Dave Cockcroft 082 8900209
Brandon Leer 082 5705863
CONSULTANT
Erwin Church 083 6548886
Visit FRONTIER BONSMARAS at: www.frontierbonsmaras.co.za
Visit Frontier Bonsmara’s Facebook page for current happenings.