BRANGUS caught the eye of judges at last weekend’s Lismore North Coast National with the breed securing broad ribbons in the supreme exhibit and in the Champion of Champions.
The Bulmer family from Weona Brangus stud, Leeville via Casino, took home both prizes with Weona Eureka garnering accolades for best senior bull and supreme exhibit – outclassing an all North Coast line-up of other interbreed champions, including senior female Braford Little Valley Lady Brie and her magnificent calf, from the Bennett family of Stratheden, via Casino, which had turned heads at Roma in May.
Also in the interbreed line-up were two entries from the Nicholls family from Rukenvale via Kyogle – a Charolais junior bull and a champion heifer of the same breed, both reared by Catherine and Heidi Nicholls and bred by their grandparents Terry and Maylene Griffin, 'Temana', at Baradine. The Nicholls family are dairy producers who mix their own preparation feed and clearly have an eye for the finished product.
In the led steer competition an extra heavy weight class black limousin bred by Col McGilchrist and prepared by Travis Luscombe, Toowoomba, caught the eye of judge Neil Goetsch, Allora, Queensland to claim the Wal Bennett memorial trophy. Mr Luscombe also scored reserve winner. His winning led steer scored fourth in the subsequent carcase competition, with Northern Co-operative Meat Company doing the killing and MSA grading.
In the pen of three led Mr Luscombe’s black limo teamed up with two limousin steers bred by John Nicholls, Casino, and prepared by Kate Morgan, Dyraaba and Nathan Layton, Bonalbo to win their hoof section and also claimed top carcase points in the pen of three.
The individual winners of the carcase competition were claimed by extra heavyweight steers prepared by the Cook family of Stratheden, via Casino with a Charolais/Angus on 95.43 points. Second place went to Robin Brown, Grafton, with an Angus/Santa on 95.2 points.
In the Dairy arena Craig Brook of Beaudesert won judges’ praise to win supreme exhibit with his seven and half year old Jersey cow Kapera Spirit Fingers which displayed a winning udder despite giving birth to six calves.