In the mid 1950s the Kirkby Family first imported Santa Gertrudis cattle from America. These cattle were the foundation of the Wave Hill Stud. In more recent years Wave Hill has had many major achievements at both shows and sales. The stud holds the record price for an unled bull sold at auction of $44,000. Warenda holds the record price for a Santa Gertrudis bull ever sold at $80,000.

The Wave Hill stud has history going back to the importation of the Santa breed to Australia. Phillip Kirkby started the Wave Hill stud in the early 1970's on the property 'Wave Hill' at Narrabri. The Santa bulls prior to the stud being registered were used over Shorthorn and Illawarra Shorthorn females.

The first Santa Gertrudis bull to be introduced to the property "Spring Vale" was in 1965.  The bull was joined with Poll Hereford cows and it was soon evident the benefits of the extra weight gain and growth in the calves plus the easy management of the Santa Gertrudis breed. Over the years a number of good 'S' bulls were purchased for the commercial herd. This went on to be the base of the Warenda Stud.

In 1984 the Warenda Santa Gertrudis stud was registered with the Association as stud No 1293. Small select numbers of cows were purchased gradually over a period of several years and also a grading up program was in place using the very best of the "Spring Vale" cows.

'S' cows were purchased from Elgin Downs, Wieambilla, Triple J, Rockingham  and the Elloree studs and in 1990 from the King Ranch dispersal sale. In more recent years both studs bought Tara females at the dispersal sale.

The first stud bull for Warenda was purchased at the 1986 Yarrawonga sale for the sum of $6,250.  He was Yarrawonga Vajda by the well respected Waco Rupert and from an Elgin Downs A25 cow. Vajda worked for four seasons before he suffered an injury.  His calves were of an excellent standard, having great  width of frame with correct structure.

Other bulls introduced into the Warenda herd were Pampoola 415H, Triple J Hustler, King Ranch Hudson (P), King Ranch N67, Wave Hill Domino (P), Pinaroo Graffiti (P), Pinaroo Gemini, Murrumbo 1667/3 and Golden Elm Fairfax (P). More recently Murrumbo Beaumon (P), Aberdeen Darwin (P), Strathmore Montrose, Rockingham Necter, Normanby Firebomb, Swan Hill Garfield, Yarrawonga Pheonix, Rosevale Quilpie W308 and Kendara Upbeat (P).

Bulls introduced onto the Wave Hill herd were Yarrawonga Raffles, Yarrawonga Rupert, Dangarfield Fixall, Yarrawonga Joka (P), Rosevale Action (P), Canowindra Snowdon (P), Murrumbo Beaumon (P), Kendara Watchman(P) and Rosevale Zest (P).

An AI program is conducted each year. Bulls that have been used are; John Martin Ranches Assault and Bold Venture, Kendara Future, Warenda Kahoona and Keycorp, Waco Knight (P), Landlord (P) and Inventor (P), Cumberland Warrigal(P) and Wave Hill Major(P) which was sold at the 1999 Tamworth sale for $44,000. 

Wave Hill started showing cattle in the early to mid 1980's and the biggest success was winning the Grand Champion Bull at Brisbane Royal with Wave Hill Grandslam. Wave Hill Centreman and Wave Hill Ekka were both excellent show bulls winning broad ribbons at Royal shows. Warenda commenced showing in 1990 and has met with much success in regional shows, Breed Feature shows and Royal Shows.  In this period we have won 24 broad ribbons at Royal Shows in Eastern Australia with 17 individual Warenda and Wilgaroon bred cattle.

Wave Hill has always concentrated on breeding middle of the road cattle that are fertile and efficient. It has been important that the cow herd is very low maintenance with cows expected to calve unassisted every year from a two year old. Good small teats and good shaped udders are highly desirable and very hereditarable. Doing ability is also strongly emphasized. For many years Wave Hill worked to produce bulls with good trim sheaths and excellent scrotal measurements.

In 1994 Elizabeth registered her own stud 'Wilgaroon' (stud no. 1793) and began the challenge of breeding top quality cattle.  At the Tamworth Female sale in 1995 Murrumbo 1310/1, a cow and calf unit, was purchased for the sum of $7,000.  The calf was named Beaumon and went on to achieve an unbeaten show career as a yearling and 2 year old bull.  He was used extensively in both the Wilgaroon, Wave Hill and Warenda studs, and his calves were very consistent. Beaumon was used in stud until he died at the age of 9 years. His progeny has the highest classification rate of any bulls we have used in the last 10 years. His daughters are very maternal and always structurally correct.

The Wilgaroon stud has made several select female purchases, a heifer from Hardigreen Park, and heifers from the Goonoo Goonoo and Normanby dispersal sales.  Cows and heifers have also been introduced from the Warenda and Wave Hill studs. Wilgaroon has conducted both AI and ET programs using Waco Inventor (P), Waco Knight (P), Waco Landlord (P) and Kendara Future the 1991 Brisbane Royal Grand Champion bull. 

Success has also been achieved in the show ring, having won Reserve Junior Champion Heifer with Wilgaroon Breeze at Sydney Royal in 1997, and Wilgaroon Charlie was awarded Reserve Junior Champion Bull at Sydney in 1998, Wilgaroon Elle (P) was Reserve Senior Champion Female at Sydney in 2000. Recently, Wilgaroon Jester was Grand Champion Santa Gertrudis Bull at the 2004 Brisbane Royal show.

Click here for more information on the history of 'Spring Vale'.