EMOTIONS ran high in the Speckle Park ring at the Royal Queensland Show after a first time exhibitor claimed the grand champion bull broad ribbon.
Pittsworth exhibitors SND Signature Speckle Park stud took out the top gong with SND Signature Renegade, which was also named junior champion bull by overjudge Chris Knox, Coonabarabran, earlier in the day.
The 20-month-old speckled-coloured son of AAA Walker Frontline and out of AAA L20 weighed 736 kilograms ahead of Thursday's judging, had P8 and rib fat measurements of 15 and 10 millimetres and an eye muscle area of 112 square centimetres.
Finishing atop the total of 61 exhibits, the bull edged out Wattle Grove N58 Tractor Q166, exhibited by Wattle Grove Speckle Park stud, Oberon, NSW, which claimed the senior champion bull ribbon.
"We are just awestruck because we've seen that Wattle Grove bull out and about and he is really impressive," SND Signature Speckle Park stud principal Shaun Black said.
"For a junior bull to beat a senior bull is a bit of a surprise and we are just elated.
"His sire was judged as one of the most structurally-correct bulls in the breed, so we knew we had to follow that path and do everything we could to keep that structural correctness.
"On his dam side, she was a very consistent producer that has great breeding right through her line and we've seen other progeny by her and they are really impressive.
"Overall, that proved to be winning combination."
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Thursday's victory comes after the bull won the junior interbreed competition at the Toowoomba show and a Speckle Park in the Lockyer Valley earlier in the year.
"We actually have him housed with Troy and Tracey Nutridge of TLC Fitting Services and they have done a sensational job in getting him ready," SNP Signature Speckle Park stud principal Debbie Black said.
"Honestly, we are just over with how we have gone with winning the junior and grand champion bulls as well as the junior champion female at our first Ekka.
"We're beyond elated."
Competition judge Chris Knox said "it was a very close and tough decision" but he couldn't go past the junior bull.
"There was a lot of things I liked about the senior bull and he has probably got a bit better skin and hair type qualities than the winner, but this champion bull is the sort of bull I would want to try and breed," Mr Knox said.
"To me, he has got that smoothness throughout, a good size head on him, walks out well, excels in his testicles and sheath department.
"When you look at his muscle content, the fattening potential and EMA-to-weight ratio, I think he is a great advertisement for the future of the Speckle Park breed."
The stud also took out the junior champion female ribbon with SND Signature Rather Perfect, before Warwick exhibitors Corindale Speckle Park stud claimed the senior and grand champion female with Corndale Quattro.
"She is by a Wattle Grove sire and out of Wattle Grove stardust and we are really pleased with the victory," stud principal David Bartley said.
"As well as that, she has a fantastic bull calf at foot and it is fantastic to see her putting everything into her calves."
Mr Knox said the grand champion cow was "the complete package."
"The junior and senior champions were very close and of a similar type," he said.
"However, the one I went with ticks all the boxes with her width from behind, big barrel and being tidy in the udder.
"You're really seeing that in her calf when you look at him from behind and I think that is what made her a worthy winner on the day."
Results:
No. of exhibits: 61
Judge: Chris Knox, Coonabarabran, NSW.
Junior champion bull: SND Signature Renegade, exhibited by SND Signature Speckle Park, Pittsworth.
Reserve junior champion bull: Sandra Jane's Sawyer, exhibited by Sandra Verdonschot.
Senior champion bull: Wattle Grove N58 Tractor, exhibited by Wattle Grove Speckle Park Stud, Oberon, NSW.
Reserve senior champion bull: Wattle Grove News Man R115, exhibited by Wattle Grove Speckle Park Stud, Oberon, NSW.
Grand champion bull: SND Signature Renegade, exhibited by SND Signature Speckle Park, Pittsworth.
Junior champion female: SND Signature Rather Perfect, exhibited by SND Signature Speckle Park, Pittsworth.
Reserve junior champion female: Battalion Kara S29, exhibited by Ivery Downs Cattle Company, Colinton.
Senior champion female: Corndale Quattro, exhibited by Corndale Speckle Park Stud, Warwick.
Reserve senior champion female: Pinnacle Park Unique Obession, exhibited by Pinnicale Speckle Park stud, Stanthorpe.
Grand champion female: Corndale Quattro, exhibited by Corndale Speckle Park Stud, Warwick.
Pair of bulls: Wattle Grove Speckle Park stud, Oberon, NSW.
Breeder's group: SND Signature Speckle Park, Pittsworth.
Progeny stakes group: Pinnicale Speckle Park stud, Stanthorpe.