STEAKS from the champion led steer of the Ekka will be served at the Breakfast Creek Hotel after they paid $56/kg dressed weight at auction.
Owned by David and Scott Bartley, Warwick, the steer known as Voodoo Child was named champion led steer from 320 entries and was right on the radar of Breakfast Creek Hotel buyers.
Voodoo Child weighed 594 kilograms on the hoof but will be killed and paid accordingly.
While it was slow bidding from the starting price of $10/kg, once Voodoo Child hit $22/kg there was no slowing down.
He was one of two purchases for the Breakfast Creek Hotel who also purchased the champion middleweight led steer from Anthony O’Dwyer, Dalby, for $9.60/kg.
Both steers will be served at a charity luncheon on September 21 raising money for prostate cancer.
Breakfast Creek Hotel Venue Manager Sam Gullo said it had long been a tradition to purchase steers from the Ekka and while some might see the prices as ridiculous, they saw it as giving back to the cattlemen and women who had put a lot of effort into raising and preparing their animals.
“It was something that we thought would add value to our business and it’s good to have the country people that come and support us when they are in town so it’s a strong relationship,” he said.
“We sort of put a budget a side each year to come and have a go, sometimes we miss out.”
Speaking after the sale, Scott Bartley said the earnings from the steer would go towards paying off a few grain bills.
“I think there will be very limited drinks tonight as we have to show Speckle Parks tomorrow,” he said.
“We are just speechless considering cattle were averaging about $6-$8/kg and then it sort of blew out.”
Supermarket chains were among the bulk buyers of the day with Cornetts Supermarkets purchasing six head at a top of $7.10/kg, Woolworths bought 14 head reaching $8/kg and IGA Fresh Supermarkets took home five head topping at $7/kg.
Other volume buyers included Marcelford Meats, West Ipswich, who purchased 16 head topping at $7/kg.