QUEENSLAND father and son team Scott and David Bartley took top honours in the prestigious Casino Beef Week led steer competition on Saturday via a heavyweight purebred Limousin named Blueprint.
When the Bartleys, who grain feed yearlings for the domestic market on home-grown crops at “Corndale”, Warwick, first spotted the steer at a blue ribbon sale at Allora last November, it was his length of body, squareness and the manner in which he moved that caught their eye.
It was precisely those attributes that most impressed experienced judge Woolworths buyer Matt Spry, Tamworth, who had his work cut out for him adjudicating a field of 85 very competitive led steers from throughout Northern NSW and Southern Queensland.
Mr Spry felt the strongest class of the day was the 31 heavyweight contenders, which the announcers pointed out represented a massive 19 tonnes of beef in the ring at the one time.
He selected eight top animals before naming a winner, saying all demonstrated the beef attributes, such as yield and even fat coverage, the industry looks for ‘wrapped into a good eating experience.’
In the end, it was Blueprint, led by Woodenbong’s Katie Grimmett, who most looked like he would hit specifications ideally, Mr Spry said.
“He has enough yield, he’s really long through the middle area but still has nice coverage over the top of the ribs which you can clearly feel, is big over the loin and has a very good but shape,” he said.
The Bartleys, who bought a team of six south for the event and picked up two other highly commendeds, said it was an honour to win an event against such a high standard of led steer specialists.
Long-time Casino Beef Week competitors Murray and Nicole Nicholls, Rukenvale, north of Kyogle, started the day with a huge impact by taking out the first two classes, via crossbred steers by Temana Charolais bulls.
A Limousin-Hereford from Jane and James Dockrill’s Pinedock Fitting at Clovass, near Casino, was the top steer in class three.
Pinedock also had the heavyweight runner up, a Limousin-Brangus, which won similar praise as Blueprint for its attributes.
In the stud competition, Rukenvale Red Angus stud Triple M, owned by Craig and Renae Gapes, won Supreme Exhibit, courtesy of a senior bull, Triple M Knockout.
Triple M also exhibited the champion heifer, Triple M Cherry K50.
Yorklea Angus stud Prime Time, owned by the Lyle family, had the junior bull, Prime Time Lancelot L27.
Senior female went to a cow and calf package owned by Linda and Glen Martin, Sixpence Park Simmentals at Tenterfield. Lucrana Jacinta and her heifer calf Sixpence Park Miranda were led by Stanthorpe’s Karina and Karly Crisp.
A generational affair
THERE was more than one case of second, third and even fourth generation led steer enthusiast playing a part in the 2016 Casino Beef Week cattle competitions on Saturday.
From paraders to handlers to event organisers, roots run deep in the beef game at Casino.
On the cattle buying side, the story is similar.
Fourteen year old Harry Blok was active placing bids around the main street auction ring which saw the led steers sold following judging.
His father, Lennard Blok, runs Lee Pratt Beef out of Lismore and Harry was in the market for ‘quality at a good price’ - just like the numerous veteran buyers he was up against.
He was only 12 when he first tried his hand at cattle buying, with his father instructing close by, but Saturday was the first time he was effectively given the reins.
“I’ve always helped out and Dad usually taps me on the shoulder when I need to be bidding more,” Harry said.
A keen mathematician at school, Harry said he liked to help out crunching numbers in the office as well.
His ultimate goal?
To take over Lee Pratt Beef, of course ‘if dad lets me.’
