The first led cattle competitions got underway at the Royal Queensland Show on Tuesday with 32 junior steers and eight junior heifers parading around the Brisbane grounds.
First time lucky for Warrill View exhibitors
THE Stenzel family, Warrill View, made a debut to remember at the Royal Queensland Show, by taking out the junior led heifer competition.
Operating under its trading name Minto Crag Pastoral, the family had just the one entry, an apricot-coloured Limousin heifer, which weighed in at 335 kilograms.
Also read: Ekka goers told mask up against COVID
Originally bred by the Goetsch family, Goestch and Sons, Kalbar, the yearling heifer caught the eye of overjudge Dr Peter McGilchrist, University of New England, Invergowrie, who said he would love a pen of heifers just like her.
The winning heifer narrowly edged out a Charolais heifer entered by Hayden Beattie, Glenmorganvale, which weighed 406kg and was named reserve champion led heifer after taking out the class for heifers weighing from 401kg to 460kg.
Practice makes perfect for Gabby
After entering a variety of different local shows across the state, Gabby Stokes' Charolais-cross steer saved its best performance for the Ekka by taking out the grand champion junior led steer.
Weighing 483kg, the Hereford, Angus and Charolais-infused steer got the nod from overjudge Peter McGilchrist ahead of a crossbred steer entered by Downlands College, Toowoomba.
The victory added to the junior champion led steer ribbon the West Moreton Anglican College student claimed with the same steer at the Toowoomba show earlier this year.
In what proved to be a difficult choice, Mr McGilchrist gave the steer the nod after it won the class for steers weighing from 446kg to 490kg, while the reserve champion came out atop of the class for steers weighing from 401kg to 445kg.