It was the first time Gray and Robyn Pannett, from Millers Flat, had exhibited and sold bulls at the expo.
He said he decided to take Chiefton north when the expo was opened up to unled bulls.
He had never exhibited bulls at shows before and did not train them to be led.
Mr Pannett said Chiefton was out of an exceptional cow, Hillsprings Leonora U116, and is sired by Okawa Willis T98, but as a calf he did not stand out.
"He was just good and solid with lots of depth and strength."
But he was the type of bull wanted by Hereford breeders and coincided with renewed interest in beef dam breeds.
He was named New Zealand Hereford Supreme Champion at the expo and was the top priced of the 129 bulls sold from seven breeds.
Chiefton was sold to a syndicate of Hereford studs, Earnscleugh, at Clyde, Nithdale, in South Canterbury, and Mahuta, in Auckland.
Mr Pannett said he still had some exceptional animals available for his sale next Tuesday.