Taking the overall pole position in the RNA Paddock to Palate 70-day grain fed Class 38, was the small commercial breeding operation Aurelian Pastoral Company, Mountside, Warwick, owned by industry heavyweight David Crombie and family, whose pen of seven Angus/Ultrablack-cross were placed first with a total of 701.43 points.
Speaking on behalf of the family and Royston Carter who manages Mountside, Mr Crombie said they were pretty happy with the result.
"This is a unique competition and it reflects the industry supply chain from weight to carcase to MSA eating quality and it is nice to know where we stand," he said.
"Overall, we scored well and while we didn't win any of the sections, when all our points were tallied it put us in front - so for us that is a great outcome, that's for sure."
The Crombies join medium-sized Angus cows with Ultrablack bulls sourced from Palgrove Pastoral Company and Nindooinbah Genetics, near Beaudesert.
"Once our steers reach feedlot weights, we finish them through our daughter Mary and son-in-law Hamish McIntyre's feedlot near St George."
Finishing a close second overall in the 70-day class was the Sullivan family's Riverglen Pastoral Company, Condamine, sitting on 701 points with their Charolais-cross steers.
The Nixon family of the famed Devon Court Herefords at Drillham took third and fourth place overall with their Hereford and Hereford-cross steers.
Devon Court's Hereford-cross steers also won both champion and reserve champion carcase awards in the 70-day HGP trade class, took second place in the eating quality section of the same class, while another pen of Devon Court Hereford/Angus-cross steers also took out third place overall in the 100 day HGP-free export class (Class 40).
Devon Court Herefords co-principal Tom Nixon said winning Class 38 champion carcase highlighted the strength of Hereford genetics in producing high-performing cattle with efficient weight gain and exceptional eating quality. "We are humbled by the win, and to be honest, I had to read the results twice before what we had achieved sunk in as this is the first time we have entered the competition on such a large scale," he said.
John, Estelle and Ben Drynan and family of Gallanani, Esk, added to their impressive record of performance in the competition by building on their individual weight gain section win with a Charolais/Red Angus-cross steer, known as Mr Sir Lion, with the award for highest individual carcase in the same section, and overall they finished sixth outright in the class.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
