The numbers were off the charts for the 31st Callide Dawson Beef Carcase Competition with record entries and a massive presentation dinner on July 5 in Biloela.
In a stunning result the CDBCC claimed honours as the second best competition of its type in Queensland behind the Brisbane Ekka for cattle and exhibitor entries, according to organising committee president Beau Surawski.
He said more than 200 people visited Biloela Civic Centre to hear from key industry figure Geoff Teys and journalist Pip Courtney as contest winners were confirmed.
Jack and Kathryn McUtchen, Dixie, Jandowae, took home the Grand Champion Carcase and another 30 major awards were distributed.
Mr Surawski said his committee would examine the 2019 competition and presentations "quite soon" before mapping their pathway towards the 2020 edition.
"At our next meeting I think we will need to reassess what went well and what didn't go quite so well," Mr Surawski said.
"We don't want to change too much but will see if there is any feedback and then start our planning for 2020.
"The numbers were absolutely great.
"Our grainfed entries opened in January and they were delivered to the feedlot by the beginning of February and by the middle of that month the figures started to roll in.
"It was slow at first and I started to worry just a little. Then it just went bang and the numbers came in with a huge rush.
"It was really fulfilling and heartening to see such support. It shows there is a genuine appreciation of this competition and there no doubt it would be the second biggest carcase competition in the state after the Brisbane Ekka and that is really saying something."
Mr Surawski said the entries defied his predictions and underscored the resilience of producers, who kept faith in the competition.
"We had 543 feedlot entries alone and that's absolutely way above what we might have expected," he said.
"I think the previous highest entry in the grainfed section was about 400.
"We had nearly 800 entries all up so there is a significant number of grass fed entries. I really thought we would struggle to even get 100 grassfed entries because of the drought conditions.
"The resilience of the people is a big part of the reason for our success.
"Another big part is that a percentage of the commission of each animal slaughtered is donated to our seven beneficiaries, mostly show societies and groups in the Callide and Dawson Valleys."
More than $26,000 has been donated through commissions this year, lifting the total donations over the life of the CDBCC competition to nearly $250,000, according to Mr Surawski.
