Auction high for Flying Doctor Service
The Wagyu Gala Dinner MC Brad Cooper, editor of Queensland Country Life, displays a Mayura Station Restaurant meal voucher to the diners while auctioneer Enoch Bergman persuades them to dig deep.
THE outback’s medical lifeline, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is due to replace eight aircraft in Queensland over the next five years, at a cost of $8 million each.
It came a little closer to that steep goal at the recent Australian Wagyu Association (AWA) gala dinner on the Gold Coast, when those attending dug deep to raise $19,812 at a charity auction.
Wagyu auctions over the past 10 years have raised $64,458 for the RFDS, but the 2014 auction was the biggest yet - perhaps a reflection of the buoyant mood around the Wagyu business at the moment.
American-born vet Enoch Bergman, who now operates out of Esperance, Western Australia, ran a fast, lively and entertaining auction that helped extract maximum value for the RFDS.
Auction organiser and Australian Wagyu Association board member Chantal Winter said that many of the bidders had experienced care from RFDS doctors, and were prepared to dig deep to ensure the service continues its life-saving work in rural and regional Australia.
“The pressure is really on now to put together a catalogue of offerings for the 2015 auction at the 2015 World Wagyu Conference straight after Beef 2015 in May,” said Chantal.
Dr Bergman ran the bidding to a top of $8500, contributed by AACo’s Greg Gibbons in return for 450 days on feed for two head donated by Geoff Willett’s Maydan feedlot.
Regular RFDS supporter Jane Hughes of Hughes Pastoral paid $3500 for a tray of AACo’s Wagyu beef.
AWA president Scott de Bruin’s Mayura Station provided two vouchers for meals at Mayura’s award winning South Australian-based restaurant. Macquarie Downs feedlot paid $1000 for one while Bovine Dynamics paid $1550 for the other.
JBS Australia took a liking to two magnums af Rymill Coonawarra Shiraz and took both items at $1100 and $1500.
Sharon Oates of Oasis Embryo Centre paid $1,500 for a rugby league jersey signed by star player Ben Te’o. Oasis immediately donated the jumper back so it will appear again at next year’s auction.
Source : The Land Mathew Cawood 26th October, 2014
