JUNIOR champion Brangus bull Lazy S Dimplomat, exhibited by Condamine's Sue Fawcett, Lazy S Brangus Stud, caused a stir on Thursday as the young bull overtook the senior champion Duarran Mombassa to win grand champion.
Out of Lazy S Miss Victoree and by Bonox, Lazy S Diplomat weighed in at 754kg and recording an EMA of 112sq cm, and shone through the competition with judge Mark Bauer commenting the bull was a "complete package".
"The bull we put up for grand champ I think, going forward, is going to be a bull that will leave a mark on the breed," Mr Bauer said.
"He is, overall, a very very complete package. He has length, structural soundness, he has exceptional testicular development for his age and he's got good fleshing through his entire body and he's got a good sirey outlook.
"I really liked the senior bull as well, I think he will breed some exceptional females but I felt the younger bull was better - he had a bit more length through his body and I think he has a bit more scope to leave an indelible mark on the breed."
Owner Sue said Lazy S Diplomat has already had a massive year on the circuit after winning grand champion bull at the Cooyar Show in February.
"It's terrific to win here today and for him to continue to go on with his winnings so I'm very pleased," she said.
Edward and Kara Quinn, Voewood Brangus Station, Mt Alma, were back in the ring this year after winning the 2018 Ekka grand champion bull with Voewood Law Firm.
This time though, the pair claimed the grand champion female with their exhibit Voewood Mercedes, with calf Portia at foot.
The 34-month-old, out of Elton Sc Sweet Time 1119 and by Cb Final Cut 924X, picked up junior champion female at the Beef Australia 2018 competition.
"The whole family is here today and it makes us feel really good - definitely worth the trip," Kara said.
"She's done a few shows now but there's been lots of hard work that's gone into preparations - lots of feeding, lots of love and attention. The hard work never stops but it's worth it.
Kara said Voewood Mercedes was currently in calf and the family had high hopes for her at future shows.
"We love everything about the breed - their temperament, their build, they do really well at home, they're good mothers, they're hanging up all over Queensland at the moment in carcass comps and are just doing really, really well."
President of the Australian Brangus Association Mark Beckman said the exhibits in all classes were a credit to the breed.
"A lot of these entries are coming from adverse conditions and it's a credit to see the breed represented so well," he said.
"There is a good variation of cattle coming from two states and the evenness and type of the cattle here today have been very pleasing.
"The numbers are somewhat similar for Brangus this year compared to last and it's encouraging that even in those adverse conditions we're still maintaining numbers."
Mr Beckman said it was pleasing to see the majority of the audience made up of commercial cattleman and stud breeders wanting to survey the genetics on show.
"We also have one our 2018 Burnham Youth Award winner Isabella Hanson, which is our most prestigious award, acting as our associate judge here today," he said.
It's good that we're seeing our youth involvement as well.
Mr Beckman said the Ekka was a great time for breeders to come together and see what is trending.
"We have a fairly open herd book and we have a lot of mixed genetics including American infused genetics and people here are having a look at what different breeders are tending toward.
"We're still seeing seeing the more traditional, larger framed style animals for bullock producers as well so all types."
Mr Beckham said he hoped to see exhibition winners go into the bull selling season, or back into their own breeding program, to continue producing high quality Brangus cattle.
The junior champion female was awarded to New South Wales exhibit Watership Downs N11 owned by Tristram and Lynette Davis, Keerrong.
Reserve was awarded to Dynamite Pemberly P12, exhibited by Lucy Roche, Widgee.
Judge Mark Bauer, Laidley, commended the exceptional females in the junior classes.
"There were some really sound and functional females that epitomize what the Brangus breed is all about," he said.
"They were easy-doing, structurally very sound, very functional females that will go out and do a really good job for the breed overall.
"The Brangus breed has gone through a pretty rapid period of expansion which is driven by commercial demand and that's what I liked about the female class - those females, even though they're show animals, really epitomize why the Brangus breed has become so popular commercially."
Mr Bauer said the breed are one of the premier maternal breeds within the beef industry.
"Especially in the tropical areas and the breed's allowed to have different levels of blood content so you can breed less Brahman if you're in a more temperate area or tick free area, so they tick a lot of boxes."
Mr Bauer said it was great to see so many people competing and in the gallery, given the seasonal conditions.
