Emotion spilled over in the climactic final moments of judging of the champion interbreed bull at Beef Australia 2018.
Rodney, Elizabeth and Bec Skene, Meldon Park Simmental Stud, Cecil Plains, claimed the highly decorative accolade with their exhibit, Meldon Park Major Player.
Judge Brett Nobbs, NCC Brahmans, Duaringa, told the crowd he was looking for a sire that would reproduce better than himself.
“Meldon Park Major Player has it all – he is the complete package and has sire appeal,” Mr Nobbs said.
Mrs Skene said Major Player represented Queensland-bred bloodlines.
He is by Lucrana General (P) from Meldon Park Escort (P).
With a weight of 902kg and eye muscle area of 133 square centimetres and fat scans of 9mm and 13mm, he was earlier sashed the Simmental grand champion bull.
It is the second time the Simmental breed has won the the champion interbreed bull award in Beef Australia’s 30 year history.
Dunmore London Times, bred and exhibited by Harry M Miller, Dunmore, Manilla, NSW claimed the first win at the inaugural Beef 88.
Meldon Park Major Player will be offered for sale in September.
Fresh from success at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, the Price family’s Moongool Charolais stud at Yuleba claimed the honour of winning the female interbreed championship at Beef Australia 2018.
The Charolais grand champion female, Moongool Typhena 9, was selected from a final line-up of five by judge Donna Robson at the Rockhampton Showgrounds on Thursday evening.
The excited stud principal, Ivan Price, said the 30-month-old, bred from a home-bred poll sire, Moongool Freedom, was the type of animal the stud had been striving to produce for 30-odd years.
“She ticks all the boxes for Australian cow needs,” he said. “She’s a very alert female, with great neck carriage, a powerful topline, a roomy side and wonderful milk production.”
It was an assessment the judges at Sydney agreed with at Easter time, making her the reserve senior champion, before she went on to be part of the winning interbreed championship.
“This is a great thrill,” Ivan said. “You aspire to win here.”
Moongool Typhena 9 has a six-month-old bull calf at foot, and Ivan said he now planned to wean him in a month’s time, calve out and “have another crack” at the 2019 Sydney Royal Show.
Donna Robson said the final three females, which included Santa Gertrudis and Limousin entries, were great examples of how maternal strength in the breeding herd drove a business’s profitability.
“The ones I picked out have a lot to offer, not just to their breed, but to the industry in general,” she said.
David and Suzanne Bassingthwaighte, Waco Stud, Mungallala have blitzed their way through to claim the champion interbreed exhibitors award at Beef 2018.
Their group consisted of two powerful bulls led by the grand champion Santa Gertrudis bull, Waco Massi, along with Waco Mustang and a very feminine cow, Waco Nikita.
Judge, Matt Welsh, Huntington Charbrays, Taroom, admitted working up a bit of a sweat as he sorted his way through the 32 individual breeds as they paraded before him in front of a large crowd. He set the rules early in his commentary telling the crowd he was a traditionalist and looked at his cattle the same way.
“I will be looking for exhibits that are showing the direction they are heading with their seedstock,” Mr Welsh said.
“I really could not take my eyes off this pair of Santa Gertrudis bulls – they are powerful bulls with all the beef attributes,” Mr Welsh said.
“It is unbelievable and a great honour,” David Bassingthwaighte said.
It is the first time the Bassingthwaightes have won this award since the couple took over the Waco Stud in 2012.
“We won the same award at Beef 1988 as a family with the combined Yarrawonga Waco Santa Gertrudis prefix,” Mr Bassingthwaighte said.
