DESPITE being one of the smallest breeds in stature to enter the cattle ring at this year's Royal Queensland Show, the Square Meaters stood tall as Eric and Marlene Ross took out the grand champion female broad ribbon.
The Carbrook exhibitors enjoyed plenty of success as judge James Pisaturo, Dingo, awarded them with the junior, senior and grand champion ribbons out of the five exhibits, all of which were females, entered in this year's competition.
First came the junior female honour when Roesellinos Snowflake 2996, the 20-month-old daughter of Rosellinos Nick and out of Rosellinos Pet, edged out reserve junior champion female Rosellinos Sunflower.
"I just think the extra depth of body and capacity really got her over the line," Mr Pisaturo said.
"She carries that meat right down in her lower third and if you look at her from behind she is just thick right the way through there.
"I think that's what's got her up over the reserve champion, which while she didn't quite have that capacity, she is still a very structurally-sound and functional female."
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Shortly after came the senior champion honour when Rosellinos Queen Leane 2493, the 29-month old daughter of Sunset Park Mr Mister and out of Rosellinos Leanes Honey, was awarded the broad ribbon.
"I think this female is a very worthy recipient of the broad ribbon because she is a young female that is very hard to fault," Mr Pisaturo said.
"She is very structurally sound and I love her length, depth and carcase."
It came down to the wire when the two came together to battle it out for the grand champion ribbon, however Mr Pisaturo awarded the younger of the pair, Roesellinos Snowflake 2996, with the top honour.
Exhibitor Eric Ross said he was very pleased with the result, despite the limited numbers entered in this year's competition.
"We have been breeding Square Meaters for about 20 years and the grand champion's bloodlines go all the way back to the first of the breed that came into the country," Mr Ross said.
"From that progeny, we have been breeding our own stock for that past couple of decades."
Mr Ross said while preparing his show team had been challenging at times, it was worth it to return to the Ekka this year.
"It's always nice to be winning, no matter where you are and there's no doubt it's been a disappointment that we had to miss the past two shows," he said.
"Last year was particularly disappointing because we had just brought the cattle in before they told us to turn around and take them back home.
"Fortunately, we farm at Carbrook near Logan, so it wasn't too far to turn around and come home.
"This year's preparation has a been difficult for a few reasons, the first being that it has been so wet it has been challenging to do too much to get them ready.
"The second reason is probably me because I'm not quite as fit as I normally am and I probably haven't been able to put the same amount of work into them that I would normally.
"However, we are really pleased with how they presented and really pleased to come away with a good result like this."
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.
