Darling Downs Beef Battle 2023 winners announced

Unlike previous years, this year saw two categories awarded - the People's Choice - as judged by the audience on the night, and Australia's Best Steak, as judged by an expert panel.

Stockyard was rewarded for its top-shelf Wagyu brand with a marble score of 9+, kiwami by Stockyard, at the awards dinner in Toowoomba last Thursday.

Stanbroke took out the People's Choice award.

Established in 2017, the Darling Downs Beef Battle is an initiative of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) Food Leaders.

Nine of the region's best beef brands - Australian Country Choice, Grove Shorthorns, JBS, John Dee, Mort & Co, NH Foods, Rangers Valley, Stanbroke and Stockyard - went head-to-head, showcasing their brand and product to over 500 attendees.

Stockyard Beef managing director Lachie Hart said they were "delighted" to win the beef battle.

"With much of the nation's grain fed beef production coming from the Darling Downs region, we knew we were going head-to-head with some of Australia's finest," Mr Hart said.

"For kiwami by Stockyard to then be assessed by a panel of local and international chefs and named Australia's best steak is humbling."

Mr Hart likened the process of producing quality beef to conducting an orchestra.

"To produce such highly awarded beef is somewhat like being a conductor for an orchestra," he said.

"It requires excellence at every point in our supply chain - our producers, processing partners, distributors and our own team work tirelessly to deliver not only exceptional beef products but also exceptional customer service to all our consumers across the globe."

Stockyard's Wagyu cattle are derived from leading genetics and are grain-fed for over 400 days at Kerwee Feedlot in Jondaryan on the Darling Downs.

Owned by the Hart family, Stockyard breed, raise and feed grain-fed Wagyu and Angus cattle from their properties at Jondaryan and at Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands in New South Wales.

TSBE CEO Greg Bowden said the competition was a fantastic celebration of Darling Downs Beef and a wonderful opportunity for industry to gather and acknowledge leading grain fed brands.

"This event propels our producers' hard work beyond their gates placing it on the map, and on the plates, of national and international buyers, acclaimed culinary authorities and red meat enthusiasts," Mr Bowden said.

The cooking was overseen by Meat and Livestock Australia business manager and corporate executive chef Samuel Burke.