The long list of names on the results pages this year was representative of the high number of standout exhibits the competition attracted.
Russell Pastoral Company - who has Champion Station at Blackall, Jimbour Station at Jimbour and Cluny near Bingara, NSW - was one such standout operation.
It was awarded the highest individual weight gain for Class 37 with one of their Angus-cross cattle at 3.310kg. They also won Class 38 (70 day trade), with their pen of six recording a daily weight gain of 2.843kg, as well being placed third in the same class.
Russell Pastoral's general manager Adam Armstrong said the company has been entering the RNA Paddock to Palate in the past few years and had never finished in the top 10 until 2019, when a pen of Angus-cross steers produced on Champion Station achieved a best-ever performance.
Champion Station's pen of six steers produced an average daily gain of 3.003/kg per day to take second place in the 100-day export category, just behind the winner Palgrove Pastoral Co.
"We have an approach when we send cattle away, we will keep a pen or two in line with this competition in mind," Mr Armstrong said.
"We are ecstatic with the result, which, like this year's other major winners, has come during a run of particularly challenging seasonal conditions."
Mr Armstrong said they changed breeding direction from a Braford-based herd and initially introduced Angus to their breeders in 2007.
"The market was giving us strong signals towards the Angus type," he said.
The last of the Braford bulls left Champion Station in 2011, and now they use Charolais and Angus bulls over proven cows and join Droughtmaster bulls to maiden heifers. "Overall, 65 per cent of our breeders are joined to Angus bulls and we are happy with where we are currently sitting," he said.
Class 38's individual weight gain award was taken out by Ben, John, Estelle and Harry Drynan, Gallanani, near Esk, after one of their red factor Charolais/Charbray-cross steers, named Sir Loin, recorded an ADG of 3.414kg. "Sir Loin is certainly a good representation of type and performance of what our commercial bulls we breed for paddock sales can deliver," Ben Drynan said.
"Over the past 20 years, we have enjoyed overall success in this competition, but this is certainly the best result in the weight gain component."
Ben and Wendy Mayne, Texas Angus, Warialda, NSW, placed second in the Class 40 - best weight gain for pen of six grain-fed steers (100 day HGP free) with their Angus entry which had an ADG of 2.180kg. "It was our first time exhibiting and overall we were third for the individual highest daily weight gains," Mrs Mayne said.