In its 40 years, Coonamble has built its herd up to 300 registered breeders, also running a commercial herd of 700. The entire stud has been recorded on Breedplan since 1981. The entire stud is run under normal commercial grazing conditions, hence no grain supplement feeding to bulls. Scanning for eye muscle area and fat depth is carried out annually.

Eleven year-old Hillside Hazel 3, with Hillside Hazel 9 at foot, was our first cow and this family has exerted a big influence on the stud.
In 1968 a draft of six heifers was bought from Hillside and the following year Hillside's Harry Trefort helped in negotiating the purchase of a top heifer from New Zealand.
Six breeding cows were added from the 1973 Tenterfield dispersal and in the same year we were fortunate in securing six cows from Hillside when that stud discontinued breeding stud cattle.
Three of these, Reality 17, Lucinda and Gaiety 6, along with the Hazel family foundation cow form the basis of today's Coonamble stud.

Our first sire was Hillside Gem's Triumph and for the next nine years we imported replacement sires from New Zealand, including such sires as Baker 193, Massive of Kaharau, Bollaro 227 of Puketutu, Te Mania Apollo 133, Atahua Baker 37, Kioro Massive D27 and Kaharau Mark, in conjunction with AI and ET programs which have been on going using Canadian, US and NZ semen as well as Australian bulls including Te Mania Kelp. Kelp has left some outstanding animals and has probably had the biggest influence on the stud.

This year the stud purchased its first bull for many years, Vermont 24J A227, while the first calves by the stud's AI sire, Matauri Stockman 526 AB NZ are showing great promise, along with the calves of Coonamble Z3.

Stud Highlights
2007 - Worldwide Sires signs up Coonamble Z3
1994 - $9000 top price bull at Kojonup Bull Trial
1984 and 1986 - Champion Angus bull, WA Beef Week, Claremont
1984 - Strathtay Trophy winner
1984 - Number one ranked bull, Kojonup Bull Trial
1982 and 1987 - class winners, Angus Beef Classic

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