After a hiatus last year, the CQ Carcase Classic presentation dinner was back to its full glory on Friday night, where the results of the 523 entries were revealed.
In front of an enthusiastic crowd of 180 at the Frenchville Sports Club in Rockhampton, the Murphy family's Tayglen Pastoral Co at Dysart vied with the Olive family's Apis Creek Pastoral Co at Marlborough for most trips to the winner's dais.
In the end it was Apis Creek who showed the grand champion carcase, while Tayglen took out the most successful exhibitor award for the second year in a row.
Tayglen dominated the grainfed classes, winning three of four class ribbons and the champion grainfed pen with their Charolais Angus-cross heifers, but it was Apis Creek that took out the grainfed carcase championship with a Brahman-cross heifer, and then the overall carcase championship.
Ribbons were spread around in the grassfed classes, to Rosewood Cattle Co, Tayglen, DN & JG McCamley, and Coorumburra Pastoral Co, but it was Tayglen that secured the champion grassfed carcase, while Coorumburra collected the trophy for the champion grassfed pen.
President Carlie Ward said cattle producers had been bucked off in the rough ride that the last few years had brought, through a run of terrible seasons, bushfires and then the global pandemic, but had dusted themselves off to go another round.
"It's 24 months since the last awards celebration - there's been a lot under the bridge," she said.
"At an industry level, we've seen a new level of challenge to our social licence to operate, plus impossible burgers.
"We need to get our trucks and get to the rodeo - our story won't sell itself."
She said with 523 nominations the CQ Carcase Classic had a lot to celebrate personally and more widely, with the record prices being received for their article.
She commended diners to their meal of scotch fillet, straight from Teys Meatworks.
Results
GRASSFED CLASSES
Class 1: Single trade steer or heifer, maximum 2 teeth, 180-300 kg carcase weight - Rosewood Cattle Co with a Droughtmaster steer (105).
Class 2: Pen of three trade steers or heifers, maximum 2 teeth, 180-300 kg carcase weight - Tayglen Pastoral Co with Charolais Angus-cross heifers (pen 16).
Class 3: Single steer or heifer, maximum 4 teeth, 300-420 kg carcase weight - DN & JG McCamley with a Brahman-cross steer (323).
Class 4: Pen of three steers or heifers, maximum 4 teeth, 300-420 kg carcase weight - Coorumburra Pastoral Co with Santa Gertrudis steers (pen 10).
GRAINFED CLASSES
Class 5: Single steer or heifer, maximum 4 teeth, 300-420 kg carcase weight - Tayglen Pastoral Co with a Charolais Angus-cross heifer (533).
Class 6: Pen of three steers or heifers, maximum 4 teeth, 300-420 kg carcase weight - Tayglen Pastoral Co with Charolais Angus-cross heifers (pen 7).
Class 7: Pen of three trade steers or heifers, maximum 2 teeth, 180-300 kg carcase weight - Tayglen Pastoral Co with Charolais Angus-cross heifers (pen 4).
Class 8: Trade steer or heifer, maximum 2 teeth, 180-300 kg carcase weight - Apis Creek Pastoral Co with a Brahman-cross heifer (838).
HOOF/HOOK LED STEER CLASS
Class 9: Led steer hoof class - Rockhampton State High School with an Ultrablack steer named Sid (915).
Class 9: Led steer hook class - Rockhampton State High School with a Speckle Park steer named Andy (914).
FEED ON CLASS
Class 10: Feed on class, steers fed 79 days at Barmount Feedlot - AR and LM PRENTICE with Santa Gertrudis steers (pen 4).
CHAMPIONS
Champion grassfed carcase: Tayglen Pastoral Co, Charolais Angus-cross heifer (16246).
Reserve champion grassfed carcase: DL & EM Hill, Belmont Red-cross steer (14442)
Champion grainfed carcase: Apis Creek Pastoral Co, Brahman-cross heifer (14641).
Reserve champion grainfed carcase: Tayglen Pastoral Co, Charolais Angus-cross heifer (533).
Champion grassfed pen: Coorumburra Pastoral Co, Santa Gertrudis-cross steers (class 4, pen 10).
Reserve champion grassfed pen: Tayglen Pastoral Co, Charolais Angus-cross heifers (class 2, pen 16).
Champion grainfed pen: Tayglen Pastoral Co, Charolais Angus-cross heifers (class 6, pen 7).
Reserve champion grainfed pen: Apis Creek Pastoral Co, Brahman-cross heifers (class 6, pen 14).
Champion feed on steer: AR & LM Prentice, Santa Gertrudis steer (class 10, pen 5).
Largest eye muscle: Boombah Cattle Co, Brangus steer, 112 sq cm (3609).
Highest lean meat yield: Rosewood Cattle Co, Droughtmaster heifer, 63.84pc
Most even pen: DN & JG McCamley, Brahman-cross heifers (class 2, pen 6)
Highest MSA index (classes 1-8): Tayglen Pastoral Co, Charolais Angus-cross heifer, 67.35 (7621).
Highest individual daily weight gain (class 10): AR & LM Prentice, Santa Gertrudis steer, 3.44kg (F041019).
Hoof/hook aggregate champion led steer: Rockhampton State High School's Ultrablack, "Sid" (915).
Grand champion carcase: Apis Creek Pastoral Co, Brahman-cross heifer (14641).
Most successful exhibitor: Tayglen Pastoral Co
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