When Lockyer Valley teenagers Hayden Beattie and Gabriella Stokes picked out Winston the steer, they had no idea the Ekka bragging rights he would bring them.
The Speckle Park/Limousin-cross was this week named the Woolworths grand champion carcase in the Ekka led steer competition and saw their names added to the Ken Crotty OAM Perpetual Trophy.
"It hasn't really set in yet, we were pretty damn excited at school and I couldn't wait to see Hayden and see his reaction," Gabriella said.
"It was something we didn't expect."
Winston was no stranger to ribbons, having been on the podium at FarmFest and Kalbar, but nothing as huge as his most recent accolade.
"He came from Greg and Christine Bell at Kingaroy. In February we went up there and purchased him and then they brought him down and showed him for the year and then took him to Ekka," Hayden said.
They were disappointed not to be able to show off his prowess in the Main Ring, but his carcase performance made up for it, the pair said.
"We thought that (parading) was his best chance of getting a ribbon, but he pulled through," Hayden said.
They both have a keen eye for cattle, according to Hayden's dad Jason Beattie, JDH Fitting Service, but their selection criteria this time around was possibly a bit tongue-in-cheek.
"Everyone kept winning with the runtiest looking ones so we picked him because he was the runtiest looking," Hayden said.
"We thought we'd just have a go with him; took a chance on it," Gabriella said.
And as these things go, the feed bill will be left up to Mr Beattie, so the youngsters are flush with their winnings and on the hunt for the next top-performer.
"We'll go back and buy a couple more for next year, and hopefully next year there's an Ekka," Gabriella said.
When the pair aren't at school, they're working cattle, either in their own Charolais studs or with JDH Fitting Service. Hayden is also an apprentice butcher at M & K Butcher Brothers, Lowood - something which ties in well with the led steer side.
"Since August last year I've been doing a school-based apprenticeship. It's pretty handy to have them at home and then see how they turn out when they get hung up," Hayden said.
It's a sentiment echoed by Kurt Brown, one half of the M & K Butcher partnership. This year they purchased four bodies from the led steer competition.
"We have [done that] since we employed Hayden, since we worked out that he enjoyed the cattle," Mr Brown said.
"Last year we bought the lightweight champion (another of Hayden's winners) and this year we bought the runner up and a couple others.
"It's just something more to get in with Hayden, support the business and support what he loves."
And while they're teaching him the butchering trade, he's teaching them about cattle.
"It's very handy and very eye opening. We're always learning new stuff between all of us, and we all enjoy it too," Mr Brown said.
For Mr Beattie, the success is 'a huge thing'.
"It's a team effort so it's not just Hayden winning, it's the whole team that get benefit out of it. But the past three years he seems to have been the face of it," he said.
Despite a good run in the competition over the past three years, taking a champion ribbon of some description with a Speckle Park each time, Mr Beattie said Hayden stays humble.
"This one's pretty big - I've been doing it for over 14 years and probably this one is the one I thought I'd never get, and to have Breakfast Creek buy our steer. So he can have bragging rights for a while," he said.
This win, as well as Danyela Beattie winning in the 230.1kg to 245kg class, is bittersweet for the family though, having lost their mum in October last year.
"This year would have been a bit tougher for them and it's just good to see they're doing it with a smile," Mr Beattie said.
"At the end of the day, with COVID going on we've all had to sacrifice something, but they turn up every week at my place, and they turn up at all the local shows.
"Seeing Hayden get around, I don't let it go to his head, I keep him humble and he stays grounded, but he absolutely loves it.
"Being in the butcher shop now as an apprentice butcher, it all ties in so well together and it's something his mum would be very proud of, and same with Danyela getting involved and getting a win as well."