Being the most successful exhibitor of Beef 2024's commercial cattle championship with HGP-free grass-fed cattle was the greatest excitement for the Quinn family at Middlemount on Monday night.
Peter, Bev and Matt Quinn, Essex Grazing Co, built on their success of three years ago, when they claimed grand champion pen honours in the Beef 2021 commercial cattle championships, to be named most successful exhibitor three years later.
The Quinns also claimed class prizes for grainfed steers in the 560-650kg and 430-520kg weight ranges, and in the grassfed section for 560-650kg and 520-760kg steers, entering a total of 122 Shorthorn/Charbray-cross head across eight classes.
They went on to have the reserve champion pen of lotfed steers and the champion pen of grassfed steers.
They took the top honours in a hotly-contested field of 39 exhibitors.
"It's really unexpected," Mr Quinn said. "We've been in the competition since it started. We're just passionate about grassfed cattle."
Also announced on Monday night was the most successful feedlot title, claimed by the Conaghan family of Barmount Feedlot, Marlborough.
Bob Conaghan fed cattle for the inaugural 1988 competition and his son Phil has carried on the tradition, feeding at every one since.
Monday's win was very special for Phil, wife Lynise and their children.
"It's a great privilege to represent the vendors," Mr Conaghan said. "A lot of them are close friends and they're all easy to deal with."
He also acknowledged the team of 16 behind them at home.
Cliff and Sasha Mylrea of Needmor Cattle Company, Gogango, had the grand champion pen of steers. Their entry of 10 milk tooth Droughtmaster steers averaged 704kg after 127 days on feed.
Nutrien Ag Solutions Commercial Cattle Championship Committee chair Angus Creedon said the cattle presented for this year's competition were a fantastic representation of where beef production stands in 2024.
"Some of central Queensland's leading commercial and seedstock producers have showcased the fruits of their labour with an exceptional line-up of exhibits at CQLX," he said.
"With the market correction witnessed in 2023, recent variable seasonal conditions, high grain prices and some uncertainty of where the market would be in May 2024, the committee is extremely grateful for the vendors who contributed 1685 head of cattle to the 2024 event.
"A special thank you to our judges Glenn Poole of Teys Australia and Craig Price from Kilcoy Pastoral Company, and the livestock buyers who joined us at the sale of the cattle on Monday morning, where prices were well above the current market, rewarding vendors for their support of the competition."
Overall, 1685 head of commercial cattle sold for a gross of $3.994 million, to surpass the gross of just over $3.6m achieved in 2021, with steers averaging $2464 per head and heifers averaging $1970/hd.
The grand champion pen of Droughtmaster steers on account of Cliff and Sasha Mylrea, Needmor Cattle Co, sold to Kilcoy Meats for 424 cents a kilogram to average $2910/hd.
Mac and Gayle Shann of Cantaur Park, Clermont, sold their pen of 10 Droughtmaster/Charolais-cross Champion Lot Fed Heifers to Nolans Meats for 408c/kg, to average $2313/hd
Essex Grazing Co's top-selling pen made 442c/kg, to average $3094/hd, purchased by Kilcoy Meats.
Award summary
Pen of 10 steers 560-650kg, maximum two teeth, minimum 100 days grain fed, suitable for export market.
- Essex Grazing Company
- Mac and Gayle Shann
- Palgrove Pastoral Co Pty Ltd
- Yandaburra Cattle Company
- Needmor Cattle Company
Pen of 10 steers 640-760kg, maximum four teeth, minimum 100 days grain fed, suitable for export market.
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Riverview Cattle Company
- Palgrove Pastoral Co Pty Ltd
- Gus McCormack
Pen of 10 steers 520-600kg, maximum two teeth, minimum 70 days grain fed, suitable for heavy trade market.
- Codrilla Pastoral Company
- Sharyn Holmes
- Hatton & Co
- Mac and Gayle Shann
- AJ and SJ Smith
Pen of 10 steers 430-520kg, maximum two teeth, minimum 70 days grain fed, suitable for light trade market, HGP free or EU
- Essex Grazing Company
- Mac and Gayle Shann
- Alan Atkinson Investments Pty Ltd T/A Mungalla Stud.
Pen of 10 heifers 500-640kg, maximum two teeth, minimum 70 days grain fed, suitable for heavy trade market.
- Mac and Gayle Shann
- Hatton & Co
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Mac and Gayle Shann
- Needmor Cattle Company
Pen of 12 heifers 420-520kg, milk tooth minimum 70 days grain fed, suitable for light trade market, HGP free or EU.
- Randall and Tanya Ziesemer.
- Hutchinson Grazing
- Barmount Partnership
- Hatton & Co.
Pen of 10 steers 560-650kg, maximum 2 teeth, suitable for export market.
- Essex Grazing Company
- Hatton & Co
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Essex Grazing Company
- Yandaburra Cattle Co.
Pen of 10 steers 640-760kg, maximum four teeth, suitable for export market
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Riverview Cattle Company
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Hatton & Co
- Roger and Roslyn Nobbs
Pen of 10 steers 520-760kg, maximum 4 teeth, HGP free or EU
- Essex Grazing Company
- Essex Grazing Company
- Chas and Judy Nobbs
- Yandaburra Cattle Co
- Chas and Judy Nobbs
Pen of 10 steers 450-560kg, maximum two teeth, suitable for trade market, HGP free or EU
- La Geddes & Co
- CV Pastoral Company Pty Ltd
- Essex Grazing Company
- Boogal Cattle Co
Pen of 10 heifers 500-760kg, maximum two teeth, suitable for export market
- Burleigh Estates P/L
Pen of 12 heifers 420-520kg, maximum two teeth, suitable for open trade market, HGP free or EU.
- CV Pastoral Company Pty Ltd
- Essex Grazing Company
- LA Geddes and Co
- Needmor Cattle Company
- Coorumburra Pastoral Company
Grand champion pen - Needmor Cattle Company
Champion pen lot fed steers and reserve champion - Essex Grazing Company
Champion pen lot fed steers - Needmor Cattle Company
Reserve champion led fed heifers - Randall and Tanya Ziesemer
Champion pen lot fed heifers - Mac and Gayle Shann
Reserve champion crop or pasture fed steers - Needmor Cattle Company
Champion pen crop or pasture fed steers - Essex Grazing Company
Reserve champion crop or pasture fed heifers - CV Pastoral Company Pty Ltd
Champion pen crop or pasture fed heifers - Burleigh Estates Pty Ltd
Most successful exhibitor - Essex Grazing Company
Most successful feedlot - Barmount Partnership
At the conclusion of the commercial cattle awards, a charity auction raised $26,300 for Dolly's Dream, RACQ Capricorn Rescue and the Leukaemia Foundation.