WORK commitments meant Emily and Luke Kahler only had the capacity to enter one steer into this year's Royal Queensland Show led steer competition.
However, one steer was all the Glamorgan Vale couple needed as their Limousin-cross steer claimed the Allan Ball Memorial Preputial Trophy for the grand champion led steer at the Ekka.
Weighing 396 kilograms, the steer, which had Limousin, Charolais and Angus genetics, was first named the winner of the lightweight led steer class, before being picked ahead of a Limousin steer exhibited by Bureen Cattle Company and R and W Lawrence, which was named middleweight champion and the heavyweight champion, which was also a Limousin-cross steer, exhibited by Lindesay View Limousins and Tookawhile Show Steers.
"We weren't too sure how'd he go, we had high hopes for his carcase but you just never know what will happen on the day," exhibitor Luke Kahler said.
"JDH, Jason Beattie, fed them for us this year because we just didn't have time with work and everything, but I think it's fair to say he did a good job for us."
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Emily, who handled the steer on Wednesday, echoed Luke's sentiments saying she was in complete shock when she learned they had won.
"I wasn't feeling too much at the start, but the emotion hit me soon after," she said.
"This is the ribbon you come here to get, we just do show steers as a bit of a hobby and we're really lucky Jason, who fits steers for people, helped us out this year."
Competition judge Brett Littler, Piambong, NSW, first saw the steer in the lightweight competition, before settling on him with fellow judge Rob Sinnamon, Kyogle, NSW, and the pair agreed the steer was a stand out.
"We went with this steer because he has a huge amount of meat and the distribution of that meat is just spot on," Mr Littler said.
"You can really see that fat back down through his hindquarter and again just a huge amount of meat, but with that kind of fat cover and distribution put him over the top for us.
"I think he had just a phenomenal little body and was a really worthy winner."
Ekka 2022 led steer competition results:
Grand champion led steer: Emily and Luke Kahler, Glamorgan Vale, (tag 307), Limousin-cross steer.
Champion heavyweight led steer: Lindesay View Limousins and Tookawhile Show Steers, (tag 807), Limousin-cross steer.
Reserve champion heavyweight led steer: Ray Zahnow, (tag 806) Limousin steer.
Champion middleweight led steer: Bureen Cattle Company and R and W Lawrence, (tag 409) Limousin steer.
Reserve champion middleweight steer: Matthew and Peta O'Dwyer, (tag 506), Limousin-cross steer.
Champion lightweight led steer: Emily and Luke Kahler, Glenmorgan Vale, (tag 307), Limousin-cross steer.
Reserve champion lightweight led steer: Golden Pastoral Company, (tag 115), Square Meaters steer.
Junior champion led steer: Gabby Stokes, (tag 1810), Charolais-cross steer.
Reserve champion led steer: Downlands College, (tag 1701), Crossbred steer.
Junior champion led heifer: Minto Crag Pastoral, (tag 1305), Limousin heifer.
Reserve junior champion led heifer: Hayden Beattie, (tag 1401), Charolais heifer.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
